Awake at 3:17 AM
by Vincezra McQuestion
Summary: A noise wakes Garnet up, but what she finds surprises her.
1. Chapter 1

Pearlnet Day 3: **AU** /Homeworld

The alarm clock announced the time in blinding green letters. Her eyes squeezing shut to block out the painful sensation of looking at the light, its affect made worse by the darkness of her room. 3:17 A.M., it read and she groaned. Moving into her new apartment with Amethyst almost a year ago had been exciting. She'd been happy live in her own place, but after a few months the excitement wore off. Amethyst complained about her moving her stuff, and denied it when Garnet asked her to be a little quieter when she came home from partying. It got stranger one night when the taller woman heard the noises in the living room. She knew Amethyst had already gone to sleep, turning to check that the shorter girl was still sprawled across the floor. The soft snores she made confirmed she was asleep.

A sound like someone hitting the coffee table put Garnet on full alert. She swung her legs over the side of the bed, sliding silently off until she stood crouched in her room. Creeping over to the baseball bat she kept by her dresser at her mum's advice, she picked up her impromptu weapon. She opened her door painstakingly slowly taking care to be as quiet as possible in case there was someone in their home. There weren't any lights on, no sign of a flashlight or cell phone being used for illumination. Garnet moved closer ready to strike if she needed to. Another bump came from the room and she tensed. Peeking around the corner, she saw…nothing. Her brow furrowed. Had she been imagining it?

Just as she began to relax and return to bed, the distinct sound of glass breaking made her whirl back around. They were in the kitchen. Cursing herself for not grabbing her cellphone, the college student picked her way towards the source of the sound bracing herself for what she was about to do. There wouldn't be time to go back for her glasses or phone. She'd have to deal with the disorientation for the moment. Quick as a viper she flicked the light on, her other arm gripping the bat tighter.

Again, nothing. Confused and hurting, she looked around. Did the intruder somehow escape before she turned on the light? The plate Amethyst had used for dinner lay broken on the linoleum. At least she had proof someone had been in the apartment.

"I'm sorry." A soft voice whimpered. Garnet looked up, her neck popping from the sudden movement. She couldn't see anyone.

"Stop hiding and come on out." She winced. Her mom had warned her about making demands like that. "I'm going to call the cops if you don't leave." That seemed better, but not by much.

"Oh, I can't leave." Garnet frowned. "I live here." The disembodied voice continued. It was a pleasant voice, one the woman would have appreciated in any other situation.

"No, I live here. This is mine and Amethyst's apartment, not yours." She replied, trying to keep calm.

There was a pause. The lightbulb flickered, and she made a mental note to ask Amethyst if she'd called the manager about it. It flickered again. "Mine, too. I can't leave." The voice answered. It was feminine, Garnet realized. She sighed. This was giving her a headache and not just from the bright light. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to help." It sounded weaker this time.

"At least stop hiding," Garnet tried. If she couldn't get the person to leave immediately, she deserved to know with whom she was speaking. The lightbulb flickered again and the flickering didn't stop for a long moment. A wave of exhaustion swept over her as if she'd just run for miles. She looked up, her eyes meeting a pair of light blues. The woman standing in front of her had short pink hair, a long nose, and thin lips. She wore a light blue blouse and soft yellow shorts. A thin chain around her neck held a teardrop pendent with a singular pearl. Garnet lowered her gaze to her feet. Except the mysterious woman didn't have any feet. Her legs disappeared just above where her knees should be. That's when Garnet realized something disturbing about her: whoever she was, Garnet could see right through her—literally. "Wh-who are you? What are you?"

The pink-haired girl pouted. "That's rude. My name's Pearl." The name made the curly-haired woman gasp. Before moving in, the manager had told them about the young lady who died there. At the time, neither she nor Amethyst had paid him any mind. He'd also said that the last two tenants had reported strange noises at night and of things being moved around or broken.

"You're the girl that died here," she breathed staring at the ghost.

"Yes," Pearl said snidely, "I'm _the girl who died here_. And I live here." She bent to pick up the pieces of glass, her fingers passing through the shards without effect. Another set of fingers started to gather the shards as Garnet joined her. Unable to think of anything to say, she cleaned up the glass and dumped it in the trash can. They shared an apartment with a ghost. If it weren't for the broken glass she'd cleaned up and seeing Pearl with her own eyes, she wasn't sure if she would have believed it.

The silence lasted for several long minutes before Pearl broke it. "I really did want to help. The dirty dishes keep getting left there and it's unsanitary. I wanted to wash them for you two." The sheer absurdity of it all made Garnet laugh. She couldn't help it; all the scary ghost stories out there, and she gets the ghost that wants to _wash dishes_. The ghost frowned at her. If it weren't for how cute she looked Garnet might've been concerned. Her thoughts made her laughter halt. Did she really just think a ghost was cute? A glance at the still pouting apparition confirmed she did. Pearl was cute, and Garnet wondered what she was like before she died.

"We'll put them in the dishwasher if it bothers you that much," she offered. "That way you don't have to look at them." The pink-haired woman seemed to think this over before nodding. Her hands were gone now, and Garnet could see the room behind her more clearly.

"Alright," Pearl agreed. "If you could put soap in as well, I could press the buttons. I'm tired now. Goodnight." Without further warning, she vanished leaving Garnet to stare at the space she'd occupied just seconds before. She turned out the lights and picked up her baseball bat. She returned the bat to its resting place and sank into her bed, her tired mind bringing up Pearl's face as she fell asleep.

 **A.N. I was really excited for this prompt and spent most of my shift today thinking about it. This idea really stuck, so I'm thinking of continuing it.**


	2. Chapter 2

**This idea just wouldn't leave my head. Yes, I will still be posting semi-regularly for Whispered Words. As always, I don't own any of the characters.**

Morning came with the loud jarring claxon of her alarm going off. A pathetic groan rose from the floor where Amethyst rolled over trying to ignore the noise. The lavender-haired teen groaned again, glaring at the cursed machine, and got up. She stumbled out of her roommate's bedroom to the bathroom. It was cold when she passed through the doorway. She checked the thermostat as she passed, shrugging the coolness off as the air conditioner.

It wasn't until she went to get her favorite cereal that she noticed something odd. She counted the plates on the counter, knowing she'd left three there. Now there were two left. Great, now things were disappearing unless Garnet moved it. She shrugged again pulling her favorite box of cereal from the top of the refrigerator. Garnet shuffled in, wordlessly preparing the coffee maker with her eyes shut to the morning light.

"One of the plates is missing," Amethyst said swallowing her food.

"It broke," came the grumbled reply, "I cleaned it up and tossed it."

"WHAT?!" Her roommate shouted. "That was my favorite round thing!"

"I'll get you a new round thing," Garnet said, starting the machine. The sound of coffee beans grinding filled the air. She remembered how the plate broke, and the beautiful ghost she'd talked to. It must have taken a lot of energy to appear like she did. She had to fight the sudden urge to look for Pearl, reminding herself that she wouldn't be able to see her and that Amethyst didn't know.

Caught up in her thoughts she didn't hear her best friend ask her a question. "Yo, Earth to G! Hello!" A tanned hand waved in front of her face for a moment before the shorter teen realized her friend couldn't see it with her eyes closed. "What's up with you today?" She asked setting her bowl on the counter. A blue eye opened just enough to watch this. Suddenly, the bowl moved. It wasn't far, less than a centimeter and Amethyst hadn't seen it, but it was enough to make Garnet open both her eyes to stare at it. Trying her hardest not to seek out the ethereal presence in the kitchen, the taller student put the bowl in the dishwasher.

"Okay, seriously, what's going on?" Amethyst asked. She raised an eyebrow.

"'M just tired," Garnet said. "I thought I heard someone break in last night, but it was nothing really."

A confused look crossed the other girl's face. "Is that why the plate got broken?"

"No, that was after." Garnet bit her cheek. "I knocked it off when I turned on the light. We should get ready for class." The air felt colder next to her as she walked to her room, a cup of coffee in one hand and a piece of buttered toast in the other. The AC was on so Garnet didn't think much of it. She ate, showered, and got dressed. Each time she passed the cold spot, she passed it off as normal. She slid on her sunglasses and slung her backpack over her shoulder, and was about to get her cell phone when it did something strange.

Her phone screen lit up. It was locked so no one would be able to easily access it. After a minute the screen went dark again. Disappointment set in when it didn't happen again after that. Meeting Pearl last night had raised a lot of questions for her. Were there other ghosts? Could they talk to each other? How did she die? Was there any truth in all of those popular ghost movies, or did they have it completely wrong? Grabbing her phone, keys, and student I.D., Garnet paused.

"Later, Pearl," she whispers to the empty room hoping it's not as unoccupied as it looks. When she turns around, her lavender-haired friend is standing there with an eyebrow raised comically high and her arms crossed. Garnet walked past her in silence making the shorter girl roll her eyes and follow. They been friend's long enough to know when to let the other have space.

The art studio she spent her free time in had a few students working in relative quiet. Some of them had their headphones or earbuds on listening to their music. This suited Garnet as she took out her sketchbook, kneaded eraser, and charcoal pencils. The assignment their instructor had given involved drawing a person's head at varying angles, using shading and highlighting as appropriate for the position the head was viewed. Her pencil moved in quick, short strokes and long, sweeping lines. Part of her always marveled at the way the lines appeared on the paper almost like magic.

Garnet penciled in the outlines of the eyes, wide and round, of the delicately beautiful spirit plaguing her thoughts. Her morning classes had kept her focus earlier, but as soon as they were over her thoughts wandered again. Her trip to the library had been less than helpful, so she'd turned to the internet instead. Without a last name it was nearly impossible to find out anything. During her lunch, she called her mum to ask if she had any information about ghosts. Sapphire gave her a list of books she'd found particularly helpful and promised to call back a little later when she found them. Her interest in the supernatural and paranormal was the reason her daughter turned to her for answers, and Garnet's sudden interest in ghosts specifically piqued her curiosity.

Halfway through her outlining her phone buzzed. Her display read 'Mum calling'. With a quick swipe of her thumb she answered the call, holding the device to her ear as she continued drawing. "Hey, mum. How'd your search go?"

Sapphire smiled at the distracted tone in her child's voice. A quick glance of the clock let her know the student would be in the art studio.

"Why the sudden interest in spirits, Garnet?" She inquired, wanting to get answers to some of her own questions. Silence from her stoic child didn't bother her. It was a trait she inherited from her after all. Looking around to make sure no one else could overhear her, she told her mum all about the events of that morning. She heard the minute gasp on the other end of the line when she described Pearl to her. "She was able to become visible?"

"Yeah," Garnet whispered, "Except for her lower legs and feet. She's very cute."

"She is?" Surprise laced the simple question.

"Mhm," She switched pencils, putting away her harder grade for a softer one. Its darker tones emboldened the soft lines she'd made. Bit by bit the picture was coming together even if it was only the preliminary drawing of her subject.

A door slammed in the background followed by her mom talking loudly. Garnet laughed, hearing her parents greet each other and her mum's giggles. "Garnet's on the phone, Ruby. She saw a ghost last night, and she says she's cute."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Ruby shook her head. "She _saw_ a ghost, _and_ thinks she's cute?" Her disbelief felt warming to the artist. Of the two, her mom had always been more wary of anything she couldn't physically fight off. It had been her mom who taught her self-defense and how to wrestle. Then, "So, how cute is she?"

Garnet groaned, embarrassment warming her cheeks. "Mom."

"Spill it."

"Very. She couldn't stay visible for long." The image on her paper looked like a cheap imitation of the real person.

Ruby grinned. "You're drawing her right now, aren't you?" The answering silence made her double over laughing.

Sapphire giggled, saying, "We'll let you get back to your art. Don't forget we're visiting this weekend."

"Right."

"We love you. Bye, and good luck on your assignments."

"Love you too, mum. Thanks, good-bye." Call ended, she looked up from her sketchbook and realized it was getting dark. Maybe if she put a digital recorder in the kitchen, she might catch Pearl talking. She was sure she had one around. It was Amethyst's turn to cook dinner, meaning she had time to look for it before she ate and worked on her essays.

The recorder she found in the hall in a box of extra school supplies. She checked the batteries, putting new ones in and closing the latch. It was perfect. Whether it caught Pearl talking or not was another story.


	3. Chapter 3

**It's official, Awake will be continued. A couple of notes I'd like to point out:**

 **First, I don't know much the Latin cultures aside from the little I see at my local library where I work. If there are any misunderstandings or mistakes, please let me know so I may correct them. It's a beautiful culture and I don't want to lessen it with ignorance.**

 **Second, most of the techniques Garnet will use are skills I learned from going on paranormal investigations myself. That includes the many hours it can take to get background information. That said, some of what I write may or may not work in reality as I haven't done this in quite a few years.**

Four days passed. Amethyst and Garnet went about their routines attending classes, studying (or in the shorter teen's case staying up all night with her friends), and hanging out. They washed dishes, fixed breakfast and dinner, and watched TV together. The only changes were the recorder Garnet left on whenever they left or went to bed, and the way she furtively glanced out of the corner of her eye like she was looking for something and didn't want to be caught. Fortunately her glasses prevented that from happening. Each morning before she left and every afternoon when she returned she transferred the files onto her laptop, checking the time stamps to make sure she didn't copy the same ones twice. Then she'd delete the files from the recorder and leave it running again. She hadn't heard any noises she couldn't disprove yet.

"So what's with the recorder, Garnet?" Amethyst glanced pointedly at the device. She stood at the stove cooking the meat for enchiladas. Her recipe was a family tradition passed down for generations. "What're you listening for on it?"

"For the person I saw the night I thought someone broke in."

"Wait, you said that didn't happen. How can you meet someone if no one broke in?" If the food in the skillet didn't require her attention, she would have stared at her roommate until she told her what she'd been keeping from her.

"She didn't break in. She was already here."

"Uh, G? We've been living here for, like, months now. There's no one else living here. Are you sure you're classes aren't messin' with your head?" She turned off the burner and moved to follow the next step in the recipe.

"She's a ghost, Amethyst. Her name's Pearl."

"Are you kidding me?"

Garnet lifted her head to pin her with a stare. Her expression stayed unreadable as always as she met the other girl's incredulous look. They kept up their staring contest until Amethyst's dark eyes flickered to their dinner. "How do you even know her name?"

"She told me."

"You talked to her." The Latina student said slowly.

"Yes." Garnet said. "Saw her, too."

A clatter in the kitchen followed by rapid shouting in Spanish caught Garnet's attention. Amethyst's visible eye looked humorously wide it scanned the room. "YOU SAW A GHOST AND DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING TO ME?"

The taller student smirked and said nothing. She kept listening to the recordings.

"Yo, Peri showed me something cool today." No response. "She plugged in her mini-speaker earlier but, I don't know, didn't put in the hole where you put the headphones…I forgot what that's called. So then she touched her arm with the cord thing, the one that makes it play the music, and the speakers made this static noise. Peri thinks its reacting to some electrical junk in the body."

She had Garnet's attention now. She shrugged. "It was sort of weird 'cause it didn't work through clothes or hair or fingernails. Metal made it louder, but only if someone was touching the metal. Maybe you should try that as a Pearl detector. Oh wait, would that work? Do ghosts have electric energy?" She frowned, thinking over her question, eventually shrugging. She'd let her roommate figure it out. She put the finishing touches on the meal and put it in the oven after setting a timer.

When she returned to the living room to sit with Garnet, Amethyst noticed the artist had a mini-speaker turned on and was tapping the connecter cord to her palm. It didn't make any noise. For a moment Amethyst wondered why it didn't work. She searched her memories for a clue, realization showing on her face when she pinpointed the difference between Peridot's discovery and Garnet's test. "It only works if it's plugged in! I wonder if Peri-dactyl already knows about that. Can you let me know when the timer goes off? I'm going to call her and find out. Maybe she can help me with this math work, too."

Garnet chuckled, nodding her acknowledgement about the timer, and opened the next file. The mini-speaker lay on the table next to her computer and her phone…which lit up without a message notification. Her first thought was to wait for it to happen again. Her second had her unlocking her phone and opening the notebook app. The file she listened to played a strange sound. She rewound the audio; this time she listened more intently. Was that…singing? Garnet wrote down the file name and time she heard the sound.

Tap, tap, tap-tap, tap. The phone typed out the words with no one touching it. {Hello.} Garnet gawked at the word on the screen. It was colder now. She stopped the recording, her attention now fully directed at her phone.

"Pearl?"

Tap…tap, tap. {Yes.} Ta-tap, tap-tap, tap, t-tap. {I like this.}

The artist laughed. "I'm glad. Would you mind if I asked a couple of questions?"

More tapping clicks came from the phone. {Not at all.}

"What's your last name?"

{Silverson.} Pearl Silverson—now Garnet had a name she could research.

"H-how old a-are you?" She stammered feeling a little embarrassed asking a ghost their age. Pearl had looked young when she saw her but that didn't mean she was that age when she died, did it?

{23.} The number surprised her. She thought Pearl might have been younger. Her most important questions answered, she thought about what she should ask next. It could be a simple one like what her favorite color was or what kind of music she liked. Maybe she should ask something about her life before she died.

Pearl waited patiently for her next question. Using the phone was tiring even using its battery power for the energy to type. The pink-haired spirit had seen her setting a recorder down the last few days (Were they days?) and often wondered why she did that. Garnet opened her mouth to speak, and Pearl moved closer to the phone, not realizing how close she'd gotten to the mortal.

"Did you go—"

"YO GARNET! YOU GONNA EAT OR WHAT?" Amethyst interrupted from the kitchen drowning out the rest of her words. The older student glared in her direction. "C'MON, FOOD'S READY!"

At the same time her stomach growled, and Garnet knew she needed to eat before she did anything else. Murmuring an apology to Pearl she stood to get her dinner before Amethyst yelled any more. A plate filled with enchiladas, fried rice, and frijoles de la olla waited for her at the table. It smelled amazing. Her best friend could cook anything and make it taste good, but nothing compared to when she made dinners she'd been taught by her mother and grandmother.

They talked about their day, Amethyst using wild gestures and voice impressions to regale Garnet with the story of how she narrowly avoided getting caught after she and her friends had stolen one of the maintenance golf carts. Garnet told Amethyst about her project in art and her parents' upcoming visit. After dinner they sat on the couch watching TV.

"Did you get anything on your recorder?"

"Maybe singing."

"That's cool."

"Mmh-hmm." Garnet smiled.

"You're smiling." Amethyst commented, changing channels.

"We talked."

"Yeah? What's she like?"

"She's…polite."

The shorter roommate turned her head to peer at her friend with her visible eye narrowed in confusion. "You get to talk her and the word you use as 'polite'?" She waved her fingers to quote the last word.

Garnet shrugged. "I don't know much about her."

"That's fair. How were you talking?" She listened to the way Garnet had used her phone to talk to their unseen roommate. It unnerved her to know they lived with a ghost, yet it also felt good to know all the weird things that had happened had a reason. "Oh, but you guys were talking when I called you for dinner right?"

"Yeah."

"So maybe she typed something while we were eating!" The excited girl jumped off the couch, pulling Garnet by her arm to her room. "Yo, P! Did you leave G-Man a note?" She picked up the phone, disappointed to find it wouldn't turn on. Garnet took it from her and plugged it into the charger. She ruffled the younger teen's hair and offered to help her with her school work while they waited. Together they managed to solve the math problems for Amethyst and the work sheets Garnet had to turn in for Spanish. It helped having a friend who spoke fluent Spanish as their first language.

Amethyst kept glancing at the phone the entire time, fidgeting impatiently as she waited for it to charge enough to turn on. "Think it's charged yet?"

Garnet reached over and pressed the power button, seeing the screen light up. She felt the purple-haired girl lean on her shoulder to watch. As soon as it powered on, Garnet opened the notepad hoping it still had their one-sided conversation written on it. Relief flooded through her when she saw Pearl's brief answers on the display. A new message waited for her.

{Did I go where? I didn't hear.}

"Oops," said the figure now draped across her back. "Sorry."

"S'alright. Did you go to college here, Pearl?"

Tap, tap, tap. Amethyst stared at the screen. Garnet wasn't touching it. It was typing by itself. "Whoa, my sisters are going to flip when I tell them about this."

{Yes.}


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello, lovelies~. Thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed, followed and/or favorited this story. I love you all.**

After learning Pearl's last name and age, her research became easier. She still had to sort through thousands of backdated newspaper articles and burial records to find anything. Between her classes, art project, and research, Garnet often came home late. On the nights it was her turn to cook she returned earlier and did her investigating online. Her roommates worried about her. Amethyst even made it a point to remind her friend that her parents would be arriving later that day. Pearl asked her to take a break from her research saying that it would still be there when she returned.

"Pearl's right, dude. She's still dead, and the reports for it are still going to be there after dinner." The culinary student agreed. "Besides, isn't your mum into ghosts and all that? Like, she could give you some pointers or something."

The taller girl's phone clicked as the touchscreen recognized the letters being typed. {She is?}

"Yeah. If you can, you should talk to her too, P." A Cheshire grin lit up her face. "Oh man, that would totally freak Ruby out! You gotta do it!" Pearl didn't feel as sure about it as Amethyst did. She moved away, hiding from them for the moment. She wasn't certain if she wanted to interact with anyone else yet, and the way her lavender-haired roommate talked about Garnet's mom led her to think she was someone who didn't enjoy being around ghosts.

Her absence hadn't gone unnoticed though, and as the pair cleaned up for their guests they winced every time they checked to see if she'd left a note only to find a blank screen. The lightbulb over the sink didn't flicker once. Nothing moved on its own. It was as if Pearl never existed at all. It had only been six days since Garnet met her and three since Amethyst found out. Had it been anyone else they'd just met, neither student might have even felt the distance so keenly. Yet this wasn't just anyone, it was Pearl. Pearl, who tried to clean house. Pearl, who sang at night (Garnet had tried several times to disprove what she caught on tape.) Pearl, who made the lightbulb over the sink flicker and on one occasion, had turned on the radio.

Amethyst answered the door a little less excitedly than usual a few hours later, which made Sapphire and Ruby exchanged concerned looks as they passed her. Their daughter greeted them with a hug. Ruby tapped her foot on the ground trying to figure out why her child seemed sad. She waited for Sapphire to say something about it first though, knowing her wife could find out what bothered Garnet without asking questions most of the time. Instead she set the box of books she carried on the coffee table.

"Hello, Garnet." The silver-haired woman said, her smile widening as they walked into the kitchen to make dinner together. "I thought we could make hash tonight since we have left over roast from last night's dinner. How have your classes been going?"

"Good," the artist replied. The slight intonation told her mum much more than the monosyllabic answer she gave. Her classes gave her just enough difficulty to challenge her without becoming overwhelming, and she kept her grades up. The other students didn't give her trouble, either. She had quite a few friends, but they all had full-time jobs on top of their studies and didn't have time to hang out often. She didn't mind. Amethyst brought over plenty of her friends for study group, and Garnet often joined them.

"I trust you've been eating well?"

"Yeah."

"No problems with Amethyst?"

"Nope."

"How about with Pearl?"

"You know, mom thinks you do all this without asking questions at all." Garnet said, the corner of her mouth twitching to conceal a smirk.

Her mum laughed. "Is that right? Don't avoid the question. How are things with Pearl? Any problems?"

Garnet wanted to say, _she's hiding from us and I don't know why._ "No." She reached for a knife to peel the carrots and potatoes. It slid out of her reach before her fingers touched it. She stared at it, aware of her mother doing the same. "Pearl?" The drawer next to her rattled. She opened it, looking to see what Pearl wanted her to get. Low chuckles turned into loud hearty laughter when she saw a peeler in the drawer. It had been there when they'd moved in and they'd kept it since they needed one anyway. Pastel blue with a rust-free blade, it stood out from the purple and black utensils she and Amethyst brought.

Sapphire stepped over to see what amused her daughter so much. "I don't recall you having that before."

Trying to restrain her laughter, Garnet managed to calm down enough to say, "'T was 'ere when we moved in. We jus' kept it 'cause we didn' have one." She picked up the tool and began peeling the stack she set out. "Thanks, Pearl."

Her phone lit up again, the now familiar typing sound almost inaudible over Amethyst's guffaws from the living room and Ruby's strong voice telling her friend a story from work. {You're welcome.} Sapphire's eye widened. She'd never thought to use a touchscreen device to speak with ghosts before.

"Would you like to talk to mum? She's wanted to meet you since I told her about you." Garnet asked, her attention still on her task.

{Hello.}

"Hello, Pearl." She waited for a response. When the word repeated itself, she released a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Amazing. Ruby, come see this!" She disappeared with a swish of her dress. Garnet could hear her parents banter. Her eyes kept their focus on the vegetables. The chaos occurring in the other room brought a giddy feeling to the artist, and she loved every moment with her family.

A question nagged at the back of her mind. It bothered her all afternoon, and now that she and Pearl were alone for a moment, she wanted to ask why she ignored her. "I'm sorry. We shouldn't have pushed you to talk to my moms if you don't want to."

Bzzzz! Garnet jumped, her phone vibrating loudly on the counter. The screen said someone was calling, but didn't give a name or number to identify the caller. Weirder still was there was no "Private Caller" or "Unknown Number" title either. It continued to buzz but Garnet didn't answer it. Part of her was aware of the heavy feeling that pervaded the area. It was like someone had covered her with a very heavy quilt. "Pearl, is that you?"

The hair on her arm rose, goosebumps forming as she suddenly felt cold. She felt a cool breeze against her ear, a familiar voice whispering to her as they stared at her phone. "No." Pearl turned to the other ghost, pinning her with a stare. "You will not hurt her. Go away."

That was all Garnet needed to hear and the way Pearl's voice held a tint of fear made her want to protect the blue-eyed spirit. Raising her voice, she spoke clearly and with conviction. She didn't move from her current place, not even when she felt her mum enter the kitchen.

"You're not welcome here. This is my home. Return to where you came from." The heavy feeling slowly dispersed. Garnet stayed on edge, her hand gripping the peeler so hard her knuckles turned white. A light pressure rested on her arm. When she looked, however, no one was touching her. The lightbulb was flickering harder than before. "Pearl, are you alright?"

Tap, tap, tap. {Yes.} Tap, tap-tap-tap, ta-tap, tap. {She's gone now.}

Sapphire watched her daughter talking to Pearl. She wondered if she should tell her about the woman she just saw. Ruby draped an arm across her shoulder. Despite the casualness of the action, they both knew what just happened spooked her. Ruby looked nervous, a habit she had when confronted with the paranormal. "Are you okay, Garnet? What happened?"

"My phone started ringing, but it didn't show any caller information on it."

"Not even 'Private Caller' or 'Unknown Number'?"

"No." Garnet said, catching Amethyst's eye over her parents' heads. She sighed. "Pearl says she left."

Amethyst frowned. "Who is she? You know anything, P? Uh Pearl, are you still here?" A series of taps came from the cell.

{I'm tired. Good night.} Pearl could feel her energy fading rapidly. She left the room, curling up in Garnet's bed. As the last of her energy drained away, her last thoughts were: I wonder how Rose is doing? Does she miss me at all?

In the kitchen, Garnet and Sapphire resumed cooking. Her blue-eyed mother gave Garnet the space she needed. It wasn't often the artist had to assert herself in that type of situation, and she was proud how her child kept her composure through it all. They let the two in the other room know when dinner was almost finished. While Ruby was busy setting the table and Amethyst got drinks from the fridge.

During a moment where the two were joking around, the history teacher supplied. "She is very pretty." Her reaction was as expected: she stammered for a while trying to express her shock while staring wide-eyes past her glasses at her mum. "You didn't mention she has a pearl necklace." Her sly gaze caught the brilliant flush on Garnet's face. She chuckled.

"Y-you saw her too?"

"Yes. She was very protective of you." The way Pearl had moved to stand between her daughter and the other ghost was reminiscent of how her own wife would defend her from threats. "Have you had trouble like that here before?"

"No, that was the first time." She bit her cheek, hesitant about her next words. "Pearl seemed to know her."

Sapphire stayed silent for a moment. "What did she say? I couldn't hear."

"That the other wasn't supposed to be here. She told them to go home. I think they have history together."

As everyone sat down to eat, none of them knew that the strong presence had returned and was sitting in Garnet's room waiting for Pearl to acknowledge her. Neither said a word. The only sounds came from the family in the other room. Pearl knew she'd have to tell their housemates about the second ghost haunting their home, but she wanted to make sure they were safe from her first.

Eyes colored a brown so light they almost looked orange glanced her way. She looked back. One of them sighed. "Don't hurt them. Please?" A muscular shoulder rose and fell, the woman's head falling back to rest on the edge of the bed. "Please?"

"Fine," the gruff voice barked. "Don't fall for her, though. We're dead. They're not. I saw the way she looked when you showed off. It won't do either of you any good."

"I know," the former dancer sighed, burying her face in the pillow. A large pale hand captured hers and held it. Pearl sighed, intertwining their fingers, and let her consciousness fade away.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello. Wanted to leave a reference note for this story:**

 **An EVP, or electronic voice phenomenon, is a sound caught on any type of electronic device that cannot be explained by the recorder. These events have a rating system: Class A, B, and C. Class A EVPs are clear and easily understood, Class Bs are audible but not very clear, and Class Cs are hard to detect. These can be caught on any recording device (I know of one left on an answering machine and I've accidentally caught one on a VHS tape as a child). To ensure credibility of their finding, paranormal investigators will "tag" or call out any time they hear a noise that they or an outside source makes and check for the source of the noise.**

 **If you have any questions about this or want to know any of the ghost stories from my hometown, send me a PM and I'll be sure to answer as quickly as I can. Anyway, on to the story~!**

Garnet waved good-bye to her parents and shut the door after they'd disappeared down the stairs, sliding the deadbolt into place with an audible snick. While the night had been fun, it had also raised a lot more questions that she had answers to—like who Pearl talked to earlier, why she vanished after that, and many other details about her. The tall woman groaned tiredly exhaustion seeping into her bones from a long day of research and family antics. Both she actually enjoyed, but combined they just made her tired. She helped Amethyst clean up. Amethyst put the dishes away in the dishwasher and added a soap pack, closing the door before lazily going to her room.

Her room felt colder than before, and the heavy feeling that clung to the area felt exactly like the one she'd experienced in her kitchen earlier. As she opened her mouth to say something, her alarm clock flew off the bedside table onto the carpeted floor. She stared at it in shock for a moment, her head lifting to direct her gaze at the place the device had occupied mere seconds ago, and the realization that this wasn't Pearl's doing made her stomach clench. Garnet frowned. She wasn't going to let anyone scare her in her own home, not even a ghost. "This is my room. Get out."

"Why?" The disembodied growl chilled her to her bones. Almost without thought, she started her recorder. The device now operating, she spoke again.

"This is my room." She repeated. "Get out."

"Why?" The voice growled again persistently

"Why, what?"

"Why…let…Pearl…" The air grew heavier. Another object flew of her dresser, this one being a textbook for her math class. A slight hint of cinnamon and sandalwood caught her attention. She watched a picture fall from her wall. Then, as if it suddenly changed its mind, the poltergeist quit. Although she couldn't hear or see anything the woman was certain her ghostly new friend had intervened again.

Cursing the tremor in her voice Garnet asked, "Pearl? Are you alrigh'?" Almost in answer to her question the air lightened and the room felt warmer.

If the two roommates had been upset by Pearl's inactivity for a few hours before, it didn't compare to what they felt now. Five weeks had passed since they learned about the new ghost in their home and not a single hint of Pearl since. They were worried the other one might have hurt Pearl or made her stay quiet. What really bothered them were the voices Garnet had captured. The electronic voice phenomena, or EVPs, disturbed both students to the point they went to Garnet's parents' house to show Sapphire.

Perhaps most disturbing was the first one, a Class A EVP of the more violent spirit talking clearly to Garnet. "Why should I let a freak like you near Pearl?" After that, they could hear Pearl talking to her, her disapproval evident in the way she spoke as she scolded the aggressive other ghost. Although the words were unclear, all four listeners could tell there was a strong familiarity between the two voices.

Sapphire marveled over the clarity of the recording despite its short length. Anyone listening could tell Pearl's voice from the others'. Ruby had retreated with a firm "Nope!"

Garnet rolled over in her bed. Unable to contact Pearl, she'd dived into her schoolwork and research. Her art teacher gave her high praise for her portraits of Pearl, and had wanted to submit them to a local art contest. After reviewing the rules for it Garnet had agreed. She hadn't thought she'd place with them. Her work had taken second place in its division and currently resided in a small art gallery for people to see. Several offers to purchase them had been made, but Garnet refused them all, wanting to keep her drawings of Pearl to herself. No one ever thought the subject of her sketches would be recognized by a couple visiting the gallery or that it would lead to some of the questions plaguing Garnet's mind being answered.

Bright light assaulted her eyes, her phone's screen flashing on all of a sudden. The artist sat up groping blindly for her sunglasses as her other hand snatched up the phone. She watched as her locked screen appeared. Her thumb swiftly unlocked it, opening the notepad app the instant it appeared. Tap, tap, tap-ta-tap, t-tap. {Sorry for disturbing you. I just wanted to say hello.}

"Pearl! I was worried 'bout you. Are you okay? Did the other ghost hurt you?"

A long series of taps clicked Pearl's response. {I'm fine, aside from being dead of course. Why would she hurt me? We're friends.}

"She seemed dangerous."

{She is, but not to me.} Pearl responded. {Not to you or Amethyst either.}

"Is she why the previous tenants moved out?"

{Yes. No.}

Garnet frowned. "What does that mean?" The text courser blinked at her tauntingly. Just as she thought Pearl had left again, the pale apparition faded into view next to her sitting primly on the edge of her bed. Pearl's hand touched her neck self-consciously while she debated telling Garnet what happened to the previous renters.

"They walked in one day and saw her throw a chair across the living room. They'd gotten rid of an armchair she liked and she…expressed her anger over it." Pearl looked at the ceiling. "It scared them so badly they started packing that night."

"What's her name?" Garnet asked. She blushed when she saw the beautiful spirit bit her lip. "Can you tell me? It's alright if you can't."

"Oh no, I can tell you." Pearl laughed nervously. "I don't want to, you see."

Disappoint stung at her words and all the artist could say was, "Oh."

"It's not really my decision, Garnet. It's her name so it should be her choice if you know it or not." Pearl was very close now. Garnet could feel her skin breaking out in goosebumps. Thankful the pink-haired woman couldn't see her flushed face in the dark she nodded. "I missed talking to you, Garnet. Amethyst too, but I really wished I could have spoken to you sooner."

"Why didn' you?"

"I was too weak. Fighting with her is tiring as it is. You should get some sleep. It's almost four and you have that test in the morning." Pearl gathered her energy, leaning to press a kiss to Garnet's cheek and lingering a bit longer than necessary. "Good night." She faded from sight again, the room warming in her absence. Garnet brought her hands to her face and touched the spot she'd felt Pearl kiss.

The next day after her tests were completed and she sat drawing in the art studio, Garnet's art professor called her to her office. Confusion clouded her thoughts. Did she forget to complete a project? No, that couldn't be it. She turned her work in on time. Had another person tried to purchase her art? That could be it, she mused. Entering the professor's office, she waited for them to sit before she did so herself.

"Garnet, I'll get straight to the point." Her professor said, "A couple approached me wondering how you knew the subject of your gallery pieces. They were particularly interested in how you knew someone who died five years ago."


	6. Chapter 6

Her hands gripped the wooden armrests as her instructor's words filtered through her thoughts. How could she have thought for even an instant that her drawings of the beautiful ghost haunting her apartment would be recognized? What should she say? She didn't expect them to believe her for one second that she met a dead woman in her apartment at around three in the morning one night and had a conversation with her. Her phone buzzed, and she glanced at it. For once, Amethyst's random searches through the apartment came in useful, as her friend sent her a picture of some photographs she'd found wedged in some previously unexplored spot of their home.

"My roommate found some pictures of her." Garnet said, tilting her phone so they could see the pictures as well. "I just thought she looked beautiful and drew her."

"I see," they said, leaning back in their chair. "I'm curious, was her name written on the back of the photos?" She nodded glad that they had given her a question she could answer without knowing if she was right or not. Her heart still raced, feeling like it would break her ribs in her panic. As she started to calm down, another part of what her instructor said caught her attention. They'd said Pearl died five years ago.

Garnet's leg shook as she restrained herself from jumping up and running home. As much as she wanted to get back and look at the pictures with Amethyst, first she had to finish this meeting. "Am I in trouble?"

Their eyes blinked owlishly, a confused frown furrowing their brow. "No, Garnet. You're not in any trouble. Aside from wanting to know how you knew her, the couple also wanted to know how much you want for the sketches."

Anger bubbled up in her stomach and she pushed it down. Yet again someone wanted to take her drawings of Pearl away. It was irrational, she knew, but it felt like a kind of betrayal to sell them without her permission. On the other hand, if they knew Pearl when she was alive the couple might be willing to tell her about her. She could make more pictures of her favorite ghost, whether they turned out better or worse than the originals, and she did want information. "I want to meet them and talk about it."

Her teacher's clear mask of surprise would have made her chuckle any other time. They cleared their throat before asking. "Are you sure?"

 _Of course I'm sure! This might be the best chance I have at learning more about Pearl!_ She internally shouted. She realized that would raise a lot more questions that she didn't want to answer and she simply answered, "Yes, Ms. Fiske. I'm certain." Saying her teacher's name out loud felt bizarre to her, the moniker always at odds with the image before her. Ms. Cornelius Fiske was a great teacher who welcomed her students with unwavering acceptance. While she told them to call her Miss, she preferred they/them/their pronouns. Some students, Garnet among them at first, had had difficulty with the correct terms but their teacher calmly and patiently handled it with a grace that came from knowing who they were and loving it.

"Very well," they said drawing Garnet from her thoughts once more. "I'll call you when I know something. Your contact information is still current, yes?"

"Yes." She said, leaning forward. "May I go now?"

"Oh, yes, of course," they smiled. "Don't forget the next assignment due on Thursday." With a wave good-bye, the tall artist left their office. The walk out of the building gave her plenty of time to sort through her thoughts. Amethyst had helped her out right when she needed it without knowing she had. She stopped by a store on her way home and picked up a pint of her friend's favorite ice cream. It would be slightly melted by the time she returned but she knew she wouldn't mind. Ice cream was ice cream to Amethyst, and she ate all kinds without a care.

Outside her apartment building she noticed a strange woman. Tall, taller than her, with wild curls dyed bubblegum pink the woman wore a sundress that darkened from white to dark pink at the bottom. Garnet almost shrugged it off, until she realized she was staring at her apartment window. Giving Amethyst her snack would wait, she wanted to know why a stranger kept looking at their window.

"Can I help you?" She asked. The edge in her tone warned the stranger to step carefully. She shook her head; her eyes glanced sadly back at the window.

"I used to live here with my girlfriend…late girlfriend. I came to see how everything is here. To be honest…I haven't been back since she died." She whispered and Garnet mentally kicked herself.

"I'm sorry," Garnet said and knew the words were terribly insufficient, but she didn't know what else to say. "What was she like?"

The other's eyes lit up a little, a bittersweet smile curling her lips. "She was wonderful. She loved to dance and fence. My goodness, was she smart. I could never keep up with all her talks about engineering and mechanics, but the way she glowed when she talked about them made it worthwhile."

Garnet talked to her a few moments more before excusing herself, lifting the bag containing the carton of ice cream. They parted ways and as she turned back to her building she could have sworn someone was standing in the window. She stopped mid-step, her eyes trained on her apartment. It was gone now, but whoever stood there scant second ago hadn't been Amethyst or Pearl. The figure she'd seen was taller than both women and, if the brief glimpse of broad shoulders were any indication, more muscular. She hadn't seen its face. That had remained hidden by what she thought might have been blonde hair.

She walked up to her door calling out to Amethyst to come get her ice cream. Her day had certainly been interesting. She set her phone on the table, pulled out the ingredients for stroganoff, and began chopping onions and mushrooms. Amethyst sat at the table with her phone the entire time, typing on it with one hand and eating her treat with the other. She and Pearl had spent a lot of time talking today about the pictures she found. Occasionally another voice made its opinion known which led to the conversation being paused as the two ghosts argued.

"So, G…the other ghost we got here?"

"Mhmm?"

"Apparently she and Pearl are death buddies or something like that."

Tap. Tap. {Amethyst!} T-tap. {It's nothing like that at all.} Pearl pursed her lips sending worried glances at her fellow spirit, who had yet to move from her spot at the window. Any other time she would have dismissed it or looked to see what she found so interesting but the way she stood menacingly at the portal alarmed her. While crass, she also found her unlikely friend very protective. {Did something happen outside?}

"Pearl wants to know if something's going on outside." Amethyst helpfully commented.

Garnet shrugged adding beef cuts to the skillet. "Someone's outside remembering her old girlfriend who passed away. That's about it." She paused before continuing. "I got called into Ms. Fiske's office today. There's a couple that recognized Pearl and wants to buy my art."

"Seriously?" Pearl wanted to use the phone but her access was blocked by the way her Latina roommate slammed the screen onto the tabletop in her disbelief.

"Yeah. They wanted to know how I knew her since she died five years ago. Sorry, Pearl." She grimaced at her lack of manners. "I told my professor that I used the pictures you found as a reference." She explained everything while she cooked from the moment she got called in to the strange apparition she'd seen in the window. Amethyst still hadn't put the phone where she could type, so Pearl did the next best thing she could: she asked her friend to help. All she needed was the phone turned over and the other was much better at moving physical objects than she.

The phone levitated a moment, during which Amethyst screamed at Garnet to take a picture, before rotating and falling to the table. Both living roommates gawked at the device. "Pearl, did you do that?"

{No. I couldn't.}

"Your friend?"

{Yes.} She thanked the other, flashing a smile at the moody woman glaring out the window. Curiosity got the better of Pearl and she joined her to see outside. The woman from earlier still walked around below. If she could have she would have fainted. Why was she here? Not once in four years had she returned, and there she was. She had talked to Garnet. A man with long brunette hair joined the woman. Pearl knew him, too. Her arm moved on its own, her fist slamming into the wall. Something broke, she heard glass cracking, and realized belatedly the she had hit a picture of Garnet and Amethyst. Her attention remained fixed on the pair outside.

A phone slid onto the window sill. She recognized it as Garnet's and finally pried her gaze away to look at her. Her jaw was tense but the way her mouth tightened at the corners made her seem more worried than mad. Tap, tap, ta-tap-tap, tap. {I'm sorry about the picture.}

"Did something upset you?"

"Was it cause I left the screen where you couldn't talk?" came a frightened whisper from behind the couch.

{No, Amethyst. Yes, outside. I'm tired. Good night.}

After Pearl left the room, the phone started tapping again. {Don't let her in. I don't like you, I sure as hell don't like her.} The words were definitely not Pearl's. Everything about the new message screamed it was someone else. Garnet and Amethyst exchanged looks.

"Who are you?"

{Jasper. Don't let Rose in.} Jasper frowned. How did her friend use this thing? She understood the recorder but she couldn't get why the former dancer would use this method to talk. Stomping out of the room to find her, she figured she'd leave it at that. If that woman ever set foot back in their home, she'd do worse than throw a chair.


	7. Chapter 7

**I'm so sorry for not updating sooner. Between work and writer's block, it's been hectic.**

Freaked out did not even begin to describe how Amethyst felt about the ominous message from Jasper. She'd been cool when she learned about Pearl; who didn't like someone who wanted to do their chores for them? She liked that while she moved things around and messed with the lights and radio (Amethyst would never admit it scared her when the radio turned on by itself), the slender ghost didn't cause trouble. Pearl had only broken one plate before last Monday and even then she'd meant to wash it in the sink. Amethyst spent all night texting her older sister Opal about it. Her eldest sister didn't like paranormal events, but Opal loved ghost stories. Each time Amethyst told her about the latest phenomena, she asked so many questions the younger sibling had to tell her to slow down.

Once she tried to get Pearl to talk to her sister, but more often than not Opal would send replies in Spanish and Pearl would have to ask Amethyst to translate. Since then Amethyst decided it might be better simply telling her about what happens in her apartment. It amused Pearl at least, as she told her that she enjoyed simply listening to them talk. It was early in the morning for her as she sat on the couch with her laptop looking on Google for Pearl Silverson. Many of her teachers thought she didn't put much effort into her studies. They were right, partially; she only studied when she wanted to study. At the moment she did, which led to her sorting through thousands of links most of which had nothing to do with the person she knew.

Hours of researching were starting to pay off. She opened a link dated nearly six years prior, scanning the website for Pearl's name. A picture of a ballerina in costume caught her eye. The dancer faced the camera supporting all her weight on the sole of her right foot, her left leg bent at a ninety-degree angle with her ankle poised behind her right knee. Her torso tilted towards her raised leg with her left arm hovering almost parallel to it. Her other arm arced gracefully over her head holding a fake sword. The dancer's head faced the floor, angled slightly towards the camera, a serene expression fooling the viewer into believing she could easily hold that pose for as long as she pleased. Her costume clung to her every curve and then flared out dramatically in layer of tulle. The sleeveless midnight blue dress embellished in silver fit as though it were tailored to fit her alone, held in place on her shoulder by two thin strips of cloth. Intricate lace wrapped around her upper arms in the same silvery blue as the tulle skirt.

Amethyst stared at the picture, awed by the dancer's beauty. She forced herself to read the caption for it. The emboldened words made her shout in disbelief. **Pearl Silverson, 22, performing her solo routine to Prokofiev's "Dance of the Knights."** Wide dark eyes looked at the picture again. She didn't know what Pearl looked like except from what she'd seen in the photos she'd found, but the person on the web page looked different in full make-up and dressed in costume. If this was the same person…she whistled, swearing under her breath. "Garnet has to see this." Before she did anything else though, the Latina woman saved the picture to her laptop. Below it was a video clip of the dance and she really wanted to see it.

Loud, insistent banging on her door woke her up from her thoughts, and Garnet glared painfully at the blinding numbers of her alarm clock. 3:17 AM shone the numbers and she groaned. As she rolled over to go back to sleep the banging returned accompanied by her roommate's voice telling her to wake up. She groaned, tumbling out of bed to yank open her door. She frowned at her best friend making her displeasure at having been woken up known but the other woman wasn't having any of it. "You said you saw P, didn't you?"

"Is tha' why you woke me up?" Garnet asked through clenched teeth.

"Is it? Si? No?"

"Yeah. Now I'm goin' back t'bed." She moved to shut her door. A hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, her friend pulling her out of her room to the couch where her laptop lay open. Its brightness caused her head to throb painfully. Amethyst took that into account and lowered it to a level Garnet could handle. Then she turned the screen to her and pointed at a picture.

"Okay, is this her? This is Pearl, isn't it? _Our_ Pearl?" The question barely pierced through the sleep-induced fog surrounding her thoughts. For a moment she moved to go back to her room. She made it two steps before what Amethyst was asking caught up to her, and she spun around fast enough to send her off balance. Her foot caught on the carpet, sending her crashing to the floor. Garnet caught herself by grabbing the coffee table, her unguarded eyes staring at the picture.

There was no doubt in her mind. Pearl remained there, frozen in time mid-dance, her beauty immortalized for everyone to see. "It's her."

"There's a video too," Amethyst whispered. "Wanna watch it?"

Garnet looked at the length of the clip. Nearly six minutes long and giving her plenty of time to get some more sleep before class, she agreed to see it. The cursor hovered over the play button and Amethyst clicked it, both students nervous to discover what song Pearl had danced to and watch her performance. The title and dance school were displayed first before fading to show a lone figure on stage in the third position, a prop sword in her hand. The music started, the beginning notes sounding eerie in the dark room. All at once, the figure started dancing. Pearl moved with a precision that was both admiral and envious. The loud, upbeat song turned soft and soothing, the ballerina's dance following suite with careful languid movements. Slowly, both grew more aggressive. Pearl's skirt flared as she pirouetted. An arabesque, pirouettes, leaps, and more moves neither viewer knew the words for: Pearl did each in her routine.

Her lithe figure bent in ways that made Amethyst cringe while staring in awe at the end, moving upright in another arabesque and holding it. Amethyst and Garnet recognized it from the picture above the video. For tortuously long seconds she held her pose. Slowly, very slowly, she spun her toes lowering her whole body until she kneeled on the floor holding the sword up with both hands like an offering to an unseen monarch. The curtain fell across the stage as applause was heard from the crowd.

"Whoa," the shorter girl whispered. "That was crazy good."

"She was amazin'," her roommate agreed.

A giggle answered their praise. Seconds ticked by as they giggled as well, and then the realization that someone else was giggled made them stop. "I remember that day. I won first place." A pale hand reached between then to touch the screen. Amethyst blinked. She had to be tired, because there is no way she could be seeing a disembodied transparent arm. It faded away, but the smile curling Garnet's lips remained. "You should go to bed. You've got classes."

Both women chuckled at her reproving comment, but listened anyway closing the laptop and going to their rooms in the dark. At their doors the shorter student let out a shaky breath. She paused with a hand on the doorknob.

"Uh, did you see that arm? The floating see-through one without a body?"

Her friend smiled back, opening her door and shutting it behind her. Amethyst shivered remembering the creepy scene she'd just witnessed. After a moment, she grinned. Opal would never believe she'd seen a ghost with her own eyes! With that in mind she flopped on her bed, asleep before she hit the mattress.

As Garnet got back in bed she felt the temperature drop. She felt the mattress dip in response to an unseen weight. "Pearl?" She never got an answer, but the cold spot next to her comforted her. It had only been a short time since she officially met the pink-haired ballerina and she realized she wanted to know so much more about her. The mere thought of hearing her voice again brought nervous flutters in her stomach.

Pearl watched the artist sleep, well aware of the brooding person by the window. She knew what she would say. She knew what she was starting to feel would only lead to heartbreak and misery. Her metaphorical heart didn't want to listen to reason. Still, more important issues had to be dealt with. Kissing the sleeping woman's forehead she moved to stand next to Jasper. "I'm going there. You're right about this not being good for us. Don't let them find out please."

Vibrant amber eyes glared at her. Intimidating in its intensity, the searching gaze softened when she found the answer she sought. A curt nod and grunt served as Jasper's acknowledgement. Satisfied, Pearl left the apartment for her favorite place. It was best for Garnet if she stayed away until these feelings passed.


	8. Chapter 8

**A.N. This auditorium described is based on the theater at Roosevelt University in Chicago, U.S.**

 **On with the story~!**

The auditorium of the university's performing arts center was in itself a work of art. The massive room boasted a vaulted ceiling where five arcs of lights illuminated the entire room when lit. Rows upon rows of golden taupe colored seats faced the stage. Two art deco murals decorated the walls of the balcony nearest the stage. The entire area glowed in golds, bronzes, and whites during its open hours. Hanging from the ceiling were large bronze lanterns, the yellow glass faded from age. The walls surrounding the stage held intricate gilded frescoes around half circle wooden lattice works. Inserted into the hollow sections of the wood were pieces of bronze sculpted in a strangely beautiful blend of art deco and Celtic knots. Both frescoes also displayed like coins profiles of important figures from theatrical history.

The stage floor was lacquered black and polished to a shine, though upon closer inspection there were scrapes and indentations that depicted years and years of use. A large golden curtain hung across the entryway normally but that night it was drawn back revealing the rest of the stage.

This was the last place she danced in life, the place she returned to whenever she couldn't—or wouldn't—deal with the events at her home. Here, she went over her final dance, the one she never got to perform. Seeing the video of her Dance of the Knights brought back happy memories, and despite that she had long ago accepted no one living would ever see her dance again, it still hurt to know she wouldn't have another audience clapping for her as she stood under the spotlight.

Pearl stepped to center stage, going through her stretches by rote even if she didn't need to anymore, and went to first position. For a long moment she took in all the vacant seats in the dark. Then, as if shocked, she jumped to her toes. Her arms rose gracefully over her head while the first lilting notes of The Eternal Forest, a Celtic instrumental piece she adored, played in her memory. Taking long, staccato steps she flitted from center stage to apron. A demure smile graced her lips as she danced, ran, leaped, pirouetted, and twisted to pose in ways only years of early mornings and late nights of grueling practice could provide. Best of all, with all of her focus on her dancing Garnet didn't cross her mind at all.

"Okay, what's goin' on?" Ruby asked, setting a cup of coffee in front of Garnet. It always amazed her that her mom could see right through her stoicism. "You get into it with someone at school? Is it Pearl or what's-her-name? If it's them, you better talk to your mum. I'm not dealing with ghosts." She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Garnet chuckled and took a sip from her cup.

"It's not them," she answered. "Well, it is a little. We haven't heard from Pearl in a couple of weeks, an' Jasper threw the coffee table at the door when someone from Pearl's past knocked on our door las' night."

Her mom paused to absorb the information, and then asked, "Who from her past?" If this person provoked an already aggressive spirit to throw furniture, she feared what could happen to her daughter if they lingered.

"Pearl's girlfriend; or she was before she died. Jasper dislikes her more than me. She won't tell me where Pearl is, either." The artist took another sip. "I'm meeting Pearl's parents tomorrow after class, with Rose and her boyfriend meeting us too. Thanks to Amethyst I can say I just used the pictures she found as my model."

They talked a little more, moving towards her classes and how she was doing academically. Her art classes were getting more challenging next semester, she explained, and with the addition of courses on digital media she felt it would take up more of her time. The way she grinned talking about the lectures she enjoyed eased Ruby's concerns. Ruby told her about the events going on at home, pacing back and forth gesturing animatedly. All of a sudden, she spun around. "I almost forgot! That theater in the video you sent to me! I know where it is."

Garnet stared slack-jawed for a minute, "What?"

"Yeah! It's the stage for the theater over at Roseveil University."

"Roseveil University, the tall building made of glass?"

"That's the one. Well…not quite. That's one of the buildings for it. Anyways, we thought it would be useful for your research." Garnet's grin stretched across her face, and she lifted her mom, spinning in her excitement.

"It will! Thank you!"

Ruby laughed squirming until her daughter set her down. "You _are_ coming over for dinner this weekend, right? Sapphire thinks we should put the grill to use. Invite Amethyst, will you? Wait, never mind. She's seeing her family this weekend, isn't she."

She nodded. "Opal insisted she come over to tell her ghost stories. Sardonyx said it wasn't the same over the phone. It lacks stage presence." The wry quirk at the corner of her mouth betrayed her amusement. "I have to get to class, mom. Love you." She hugged her one more time and walked back to campus. Pearl could have been a Roseveil University student. The thought normally would have caused more excitement, but now that the initial shock wore off it made her miss the ghost even more. She'd asked Jasper, but the poltergeist just responded with insults. Amethyst asked her and got, "She went to her other haunt, runt. You're pathetic if you couldn't even figure that out."

Jasper growled. First Rose had to show up, and then Pearl left. Okay, she encouraged the latter, but it left her with no one to talk to other than Garnet and Amethyst. She looked at the clock on the wall then scoffed. No point in keeping track of time when you're dead, she thought. The door opened and shut. "Yo, Jasper! You still here?" Irritated by the runt's obnoxious voice, she hit the wall.

"I'll take that as a yes," Amethyst muttered. "G's meeting with Pearl's parents tomorrow. Anything we need to know? Shit, do you even know them?" She set her phone down. After several moments of silence passed Jasper stomped over to it.

{Our dads are weird. Dress nice.} She thought about it for a while before typing, {Don't talk sports…or politics…or religion.}

"What about the violent ghost that keeps trashin' our place?"

{Could work.}

Amethyst frowned. Something about this conversation felt like she missed an important piece of information. She reread Jasper's answers trying to figure what it was. When she went over it the third time, it hit her. Our dads. _Our_ dads.

"Ustedes dos son hermanas?!" She shouted.

{What?}

"You—Pearl—you're sisters?" Amethyst choked out.

{Yeah, so what?} Jasper huffed. The shorter woman looked exasperated.

"So you know how she…how you…y'know…"

{I died when some wannabe robber shot me in the chest.} She nearly threw the phone thinking about it. {Pearl doesn't want you to know.} Amethyst nodded and pulled out her math book. The way she did it let the poltergeist know she was letting the subject of deaths go, an act that Jasper begrudgingly respected. Neither one talked for the rest of the evening. Eventually Jasper went back over to the window. She wondered what dance Pearl was doing or if she was making one up right then.

 **A.N. I used Google Translate for Amethyst's speech. It's meant to say "You two are sisters?" If that's incorrect, please let me know so I can correct it. Thanks for reading!**


	9. Chapter 9

**I did not mean to take so long uploading this. Thank you so much for your patience.**

 **To answer a question regarding Garnet and Amethyst's age, Garnet is 21 and Amethyst is 20.**

The upcoming meeting with Pearl's fathers had Garnet nervously double-checking her reflection. When she'd talked to them on the phone they'd given the impression that they weren't expecting much from this meeting. The man she spent most of the brief call speaking to had a cool, calculated tone that commanded respect. Since she hadn't looked them up, she had no idea what they looked like or what to expect. She reexamined her outfit once more then grabbed her keys and bag on her way out the door, locking it behind her. Amethyst had wished her luck earlier. She'd wanted to go along but she had classes and had to leave for school.

Truthfully, she didn't want to sell her art, but if they let her keep the photographs it would be easier to part with them. She couldn't help but wonder where Pearl went and why she suddenly left. Did they do something wrong? Could it be connected to Rose's appearance? Why was she so upset over Pearl's absence? Garnet didn't have answers to any of these questions. All the little things Pearl did for them were becoming glaringly noticeable. Keys that were tossed without thought did not conveniently turn up on the table or counter. Dishes remained scattered on the counter instead of moving overnight into the sink. The TV stayed on long after they fell asleep in front of it. Neither roommate had realized how much their ballerina ghost helped until it stopped all at once.

Garnet nearly ran into the door of her instructor's office. Shaking her head, she took a deep breath and knocked. "Enter." She pushed the door open, not surprised to find the small room already crowded. Rose sat off to the side quietly talking to a younger man with long brown hair. His torn jeans and band t-shirt made him look out of place in a group full of people wearing immaculate clothing but he didn't seem to care. He offered Garnet a grin and shrugged when she stared blankly at him behind her sunglasses. Sitting in the chairs facing the desk were two men who she guessed were Pearl's fathers. "Good morning, Garnet. How are you?"

She waited a moment to answer. "Nervous. I'm probably selling 'Pearl' today."

"Yes, well, I'd like you to meet Mr. and Mr. Silverson. Sirs, this is Garnet Ionra." Garnet nodded. One of the men stood, and Garnet couldn't hide her surprise when she saw how similar he looked to Pearl. He had the same strawberry blonde hair, light complexion, and sky blue eyes. They shared the same long nose and lithe form, but after that the artist noticed the physical similarities ended. Dressed in a tailored navy blue suit and tie, he looked every bit the strict business man. He extended his hand which she accepted, and smiled politely.

"Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Ionra." He spoke confidently. "Please call me Jett, and this is my husband Penrith. We understand you were the one who drew these portraits of Pearl?"

"Y-yes," she answered. "I'd appreciate it if you jus' called me Garnet." She glanced at Penrith, who paid her no mind as he glared at Rose and Greg. Where Jett had been shocking warm, his partner felt stand-offish. His short ebony hair spiked in the front where it had been brushed back. Dark brown eyes stared at the other guests in intense scrutiny. He was dressed casually, but still better than Greg, in black jeans, a galaxy print shirt, and a black jacket. There was absolutely no resemblance between him and his daughter.

Jett caught her staring and chuckled. "Don't mind him. He doesn't say much when he's upset. You should have heard him at the gallery. He couldn't stop talking about your art—"

"Why are _they_ even here?" The darker man cut him off. "And how the hell did _she_ even know what Pearl looked like?" Garnet chuckled. The way he talked with a soft cadence that once again reminded her of Pearl, but his attitude told her where Jasper got hers from. Feeling like she was on familiar ground again, Garnet grinned.

"My roommate found some pictures of her while exploring our apartment." She placed them on Ms. Fiske's desk for them to see. "Ms. Fiske had just given us the assignment, so I drew her."

Jett blinked at the photos, picking them up reverently. "Pearl…"

Penrith, on the other hand stared at her in disbelief. "Your roommate found the pictures and you just decided, 'Oh hey, some random stranger. I think I'll draw her.' Is that what you're saying?"

"Yes, sir. She's very beautiful and inspiring." She kicked herself for using present tense in her answer, adding, "Her pictures are." He narrowed his eyes at her, but after a moment passed he sighed.

"That doesn't explain them." He pointed at Rose and Greg with a finger.

Ms. Fiske decided to explain. "They were also hoping to buy one of the pictures."

Immediately, Garnet thought of Jasper telling her not to let the woman in the apartment, as well as the thrown table and Pearl breaking the picture. "No."

Rose looked up then, shock written across her face. "No?"

"I only agreed to discuss it with Pearl's parents. That's it." Jett and Penrith were now giving her their full attention. She made up her mind. "I'm not selling 'Pearl' to anyone else."

During the middle of a turn, she heard it. The annoying voice that persisted to antagonize her every time she returned here yet again made a sarcastic comment about her dancing. Pearl finished her turn, bowed to her imaginary audience, and then turned to confront the guy who had been mocking her dancing. Like her, he haunted the auditorium. Unlike her, he couldn't leave. He was trapped there and he liked to insult Pearl's presence out of spite. She huffed. It's not as though she'd ever expected to die like she had, or that she would be bound to two places.

"Ooh, scary look." He scoffed. "Is the wittle ballerina mad?"

"Yes, Scott, I am." Pearl snapped. She had other things to worry about than his sulking. Time had passed, yes, but she didn't know how much and dancing didn't keep her from thinking about Garnet any less. That pushed her to dance more. She thought if she focused solely on her performance she could bury these feelings.

"You could always… I dunno… go home." He rolled his eyes. "Oh, wait. I forgot. _My name's Pearl and I run away instead of dealing with my problems._ "

Her hands curled into fists and she hissed, "That is not what I'm like!"

The ghost in the catwalks rolled his eyes. "Sure it's not. Like you aren't in love with someone, and don't want to deal with it. There are entire plays that handle that better than you. Terrible ones, too."

"I'm sure they don't include the other person being alive." Pearl said bitterly. "Or the ghost's ex-lover showing up with the guy she cheated on the ghost with."

Scott eyes went round. Prim and proper Pearl fell in love with a living being? Plus her ex-lover showed up? He almost felt bad about making fun of her, except he was tired of watching her dance non-stop whenever the stage was empty of life. He got the feeling she wouldn't quit unless he did something. "So then tell her. You're dead; you've got nothing to lose anymore."

The dancer paused. He wasn't wrong. Even if Garnet didn't feel the same, it wouldn't change the fact that her body was buried in some graveyard. A horrible thought occurred to her. What if Garnet did love her? They couldn't be together, and she didn't want Garnet to die young like she did. Pearl bit her lip.

"I can't. We got too close already."

"Do you do anything other than dance and whine?" Scott groaned.

"What?"

"I can't believe I'm saying this. Go home and talk to her, idiot!" Pearl scowled but remained where she stood. Scott had some good points. She needed more time to think. She sat on the edge of the stage looking at the empty room. Her thoughts swirled around in her head. Despite the distance she put between her and Garnet, her feelings for the mocha-skinned artist continued to grow stronger. Now she understood the saying, "Distance makes the heart grow fonder." If being away from the one she loved hurt this badly after a couple of days, then staying away from Garnet was proving to be a real challenge. "Are you still here? It's been at least two weeks!"

Pearl glared at him over her shoulder. "I will leave when I feel like it! Now leave me alone!"


	10. Chapter 10

**Ironically, by the time I post this it will be 3:17 AM where I am. XD Anyways, here's a slightly longer chapter.**

After her declaration, Rose had graciously left the office with a disappointed smile and Greg following after her. The long-haired man nodded to her as he exited. Garnet turned back to her teacher and Pearl's parents, the feeling of anxiety she had earlier fading away as she sat down. The look of respect on Penrith's face made her feel proud of her decision. They went straight to business then, discussing the price of her work. In the end, Garnet agreed to sell the whole set of four charcoal drawings for three hundred dollars. Both Jett and Penrith would have paid more but Garnet shook her head. She told them she just wanted to keep the pictures.

Jett blinked hard, his confusion evident. "Why would you want them?"

Garnet smiled fondly, looking at the photos. "She inspires me. Pearl looks like she can do anything in these pictures. She's…beautiful. Strong. She's my muse. I wish I could've gotten to know her." The way she spoke confidently and sweetly about someone she never knew brought tears to Jett's eyes. He didn't miss the way she smiled. It was the same look his partner gave him.

She looked hesitant for a second before continuing. "What was she like? All I know is that she was dancer."

"How do you know that?" It was Penrith asking this time.

"My roommate and I were looking for anything we could find on Pearl online. She found a video of her dancing. We both thought she made it look so easy."

"Do you remember which song she performed to?"

"'Dance of the Knights' by Prokofiev," Garnet supplied, to which Jett laughed.

"I'll never know why she picked that song. It's such a strange piece."

"As much as I hate to do this, we've got to go." Penrith interjected. He turned over one of the photos and wrote something on the back. "These are yours, Garnet. It's been wonderful to meet you." He handed the small stack back to her. She tucked them safely in her bag next to the check she'd received and shook his hand.

"It's been great talking to you, too. Thank you." They left the office and she felt a little disappointed that none of the questions plaguing her mind had been answered. No, that wasn't quite true. She'd learned what Pearl's parents looked like, and how at least one of them felt about Rose.

Ms. Fiske sent her a curious glance. "You could have asked for more, and they would have paid."

Garnet frowned. "I wouldn't take advantage of them like that."

"I see." They leaned back in their chair. "How does it feel making your first big sell?" They waited as she thought about it.

"I feel sad…and proud…and happy." She eventually said. "I'll see you in class, professor. Thank you for helping me."

They nodded. "Anytime. See you in class." The walk back to the apartment felt surreal to her. She'd gotten halfway home before she remembered she needed to deposit her check. It was a good day for walking, though a little breezy, so Garnet turned to go to the nearest branch to her.

o+o+o

Amethyst stretched leaving her school for the day. All her classes today were core ones like math and English. She'd really hoped it would be one of those days where she got to cook. Her phone buzzing shook her out her thoughts. She unlocked the screen to see what Garnet texted her.

{Went well.} Amethyst groaned, exasperated. Of all the times for her best friend to be cryptic, it had to be now. It killed her to miss the meeting because she had class; the least her friend could do was give her something more than it went well.

{Could you be more specific? What were they like? Give me details!} She sent back. She waited impatiently at the bus stop for a response. A passerby gave her a dirty look as he passed which she pointedly ignored. For a moment it seemed like he was going to give her trouble. "The bus is taking its sweet time getting here, isn't it?"

Amethyst turned to see a tall woman dress in torn jeans and a studded leather jacket stopping next to her. The blonde popped her gum, and nodded to her hair. "Nice color. Do it yourself?" She blushed and nodded, feeling suddenly shy around this stranger. "That's cool. Name's Vidalia, what's yours?"

"Amethyst." She noticed the guy had moved on. "Thanks."

"Yeah, whatever. You okay?" She asked raising an eyebrow, taking in the shorter girl before. When the lilac-haired student murmured agreement she laughed. "That's great. I was worried he might try something. I'm glad I was around to help."

"Me, too." Amethyst laughed, "You want to get together sometime? As friends?"

Nerves ate at her while Vidalia took some time to consider the offer. "Yeah, sure. You got a phone?" Glad to have made a possible friend, the two exchanged numbers before the blonde announced she had to get to work before she got written up for being late. "I'll see you later, Amethyst."

"Y-yeah, see you!" The culinary student cheered. She turned to check on the bus, glad to see it down the street. Her phone buzzed.

{Dads' names are Jett and Penrith. She gets a lot of her looks from him.}

The bus pulled up to the stop and she had to take a moment to use her pass and find a seat. Then she reread the text confused about which dad her roommate meant. {Which him? They have two dads, G.}

{Jett. Same hair, skin tone, eye color, nose. Tell you more at home.}

True to her word, as soon as Amethyst walked through the door and dumped her bag on the floor Garnet told her everything about the meeting. Jasper listened quietly, wanting to know how her dads were doing. When Garnet talked about how she refused to sell the portraits to anyone other than Jett and Penrith, the ghost felt a begrudging respect for her.

o+o+o

A month later, Pearl was pacing the stage thinking about everything between her and Garnet. She could feel Scott's bored gaze following her every movement but ignored it. Just to break the silence she would ask long much time passed, but they both knew she never remembered the answer. The stage door opened, and a janitor wheeled in her cart of cleaning supplies, which aggravated an already irritable Scott. "GET OUT!"

The woman jumped searching the room for trespassers, and when she didn't see anyone around he shrugged and resumed working. Both ghosts knew her; she had been there when Pearl attended college here, and she'd been around long enough that Scott's tantrums rarely fazed her. No one else returned to the auditorium after experiencing Scott's outbursts, although plenty were scared off by the lone figure dancing on stage when the building was supposed to be empty.

"Hello, Scott. Hello, Pearl." She answered politely. "Just cleaning up. I'll leave soon, don't you worry."

"How does she know when you're here? Every time she _knows_ you're here." Scott asked from the catwalks.

"I'm sure I don't know."

"I can hear you both, y'know." The janitor called out, bored. "You know this, Scott. Honestly, how many other mediums have you two met?"

"Aside from you?" Pearl retorted. "One." She went through her warm-up stretches. "How are you, lately?"

"Eh, I'm alright. Met a cute girl at the bus stop, and we exchanged numbers."

"SHUT UP ALREADY!" Scott snarled.

The woman pointed a finger at him. "Do I need to call a priest to come deal with you?" He opened and closed his mouth for a moment. Then he resumed glaring at Pearl as if it were all her fault. "I need to get some better friends. Like the kind that are alive."

A snicker echoed down. "At least you don't have a ghost falling in love with you."

"Scott!" Pearl growled, her routine forgotten. "I'm not in love with—Vidalia! Tell him to quit teasing me!" Vidalia laughed at their bickering, feeling more at ease now that they weren't hiding and she could see them too.

"What's this about love, Pearl?"

The dancer froze in place. "I-I…um…well, there's this woman living in my apartment with her friend. She, she saw me. Actually it was more like she demanded to I quit hiding 'cause she thought I was a burglar."

The blonde laughed. "Oh, yeah? What were you really doing?"

"Cleaning, of course. Amethyst likes to leave dirty dishes on the counter."

Vidalia raised an eyebrow. "Describe her for me?" She knew it could just be coincidence, but she wanted to check first.

"Short, long purple hair, Hispanic. Very loud." Pearl listed. "Her left eye squints a bit…when you can see it, that is. She's very obnoxious in an endearing way." _That sounds like her_ , mused Vidalia. She'd ask Amethyst if she knew Pearl next time they met. It should prove to be entertaining if she did. They'd had fun the last few times they got together and if she believed in ghosts then Vidalia wouldn't have to hide that part of her from the younger woman.

Scott rolled his eyes. "Why don't you tell her about _Garnet_ while you're at it?" The way he said her name in a singsong voice made Pearl want to hit him. Instead, she did what he suggested telling the medium all about what happened since that night and how she was feeling. The janitor continued mopping the stage listening calmly as the ballerina talked. She could see why Pearl was reluctant to confess her feelings to the mysterious Garnet.

"First: Scott, quit picking fights with Pearl. Second: Pearl, running from this isn't going to solve anything. It's been over a month since you left, right?" A nod her confirmed her thoughts. "You don't have to tell her everything but I get the feeling she misses you, Pearl. And if your Amethyst and mine are the same person, she definitely does. It's time to go home."

She worried her lip, and then she vanished. Scott muttered a faint "Finally." He hoped she took Vidalia's advice.

o+o+o

Pearl couldn't wait until the witching hour to talk to Garnet. Drawing as much energy from the electronics as possible, she gently tapped the working student's shoulder. There was no response from her so she tried again harder this time. When that didn't work, Pearl pouted eyeing the laptop Garnet had open next to her. If she couldn't get the artist's attention by contact, she'd try another way. The laptop clicked shut a little too forcefully, but thankfully she hadn't broken it.

The sound of her computer shutting snapped Garnet out of her stupor. "Jasper, tha' wasn't funny." Her phone lit up. Part of her dared to hope, but the rational side of her told her it was probably someone texting her. Still she unlocked the phone and opened the notes app. Immediately the familiar sound of typing came from the device.

{I'm not Jasper.} Garnet's heart hammered against her ribs as the words sunk in.

"Pearl?" She asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Tap, tap, tap. {Yes.} T-tap, tap tap, tap. {I'm home.}


	11. Chapter 11

**Thank you to everyone who reads, follows, favorited, and/or reviews this story, I love you all~! It's been an exciting few days celebrating my birthday, and spending time with family. Anyways... Here's a special post-birthday chapter for all of you lovelies.**

 **Any mistakes in Spanish are mine since I have no clue how well Google translates.**

 **Note 9/20/16: I'd like to thank dragshot for their wonderful advice on Spanish translations and grammar. It's greatly appreciated. :D The translations have been edited to match.**

 _She's home. She's home. She's home! Holy hell, she's home!_ Garnet stared wide-eyed at the message. Finally, after over a month of nothing, Pearl was home. The room when she jumped out of her seat, searching the area around her phone. She wished she had her mum's ability to see spirits. An overwhelming need to see her took over her thoughts, the words tumbling out without care. "May I see you? Please?"

Five long minutes passed. {No.} The answer wasn't one she was expecting. She slumped into her seat again, her entire body language showing sad acceptance. Did she truly expect Pearl to do that on command? Garnet mentally kicked herself for forgetting that visible apparitions consumed a lot of energy for ghosts. More tapping filled the silent room. {Not yet, but later tonight.}

The hairs on the back of her neck rose. Garnet swore it was colder than Pearl's normal chill. She resisted the urge to shiver. If she closed her eyes, the artist could almost feel a pair of arms around her shoulders. Her cheek suddenly felt like a piece of ice had been pressed against it. The feeling passed when the sound of a camera clicking surprised them. Amethyst stood in the door with her sisters, grinning widely at her from behind the camera. Her grin faltered as she reviewed the picture she just took.

Opal noticed first, brushing her hair back as she leaned to inspect the image. "Amatista, ¿ves lo que yo? ¿Hay dos personas en la foto?" The taller sibling blinked just to see if the image would change, but it didn't. She glanced at Sardonyx, hoping the magician could find a way to disprove it. Maybe Amethyst had done some trick to the camera to cause it to do that. "¿Es algún truco?"

Amethyst shook her head still staring disbelieving at her camera. "No. Sí ves a la rubia que está al lado de Garnet, ¿verdad?"

Sardonyx nodded, mindful of Garnet's presence. "Si, Amatista. She is certainly there. It is quite extraordinary. Exactly the kind of paranormal experience you were hoping for, Opal." By now, the blue-eyed sister was coming out of her shock and reaching eagerly for the camera. Amethyst ducked out her way and ran over to Garnet.

Shoving it at her, she shivered. "What'd you do, turn up the AC to artic?"

Her friend chuckled. "Pearl's back."

"Well, obviously, look at the picture!" She yelled. Garnet and her sisters waited a moment for her reaction. "Wait, she's really back? Pearl, you better be here! I swear if you're not I'm going make, like, the biggest mess ever so you can't ignore it and have to come back!" Pearl giggled giving the short woman a skeptical look she knew couldn't be seen. She reached across Garnet careful not to accidently go through her and typed her reply, mindful of the energy she took from it as she did.

{I highly doubt that. I can't ignore what I never saw to begin with.} She was aware of the tall slender woman named Opal crossing the room to watch the words just appear on the screen. {Hello, Opal.} Opal jumped, pointing at the phone and speaking so rapidly no one could understand her. Finally they managed to get her calm again.

She stared at her younger sister. "She knew my name. ¿Cómo es que se sabe mi nombre?"

Amethyst laughed and rolled her eyes. "She already knew it. You talked to her before. Why are you freaking out?"

Sardonyx laughed. "I'm sorry, Garnet. It seems we barged into your room uninvited."

"It's fine. I'm used to it." She smirked. "Be careful of flying objects, though."

"And, Pearl, was it?" Sardonyx addressed the room. "Please pardon our manners. My name's Sardonyx, I'm Amethyst's eldest sister. It's a delight to meet you."

{Hello, Sardonyx. It's nice to meet you, too. } Pearl noticed Garnet's skin forming goosebumps and moved over to Amethyst still laughing at her sister. She tapped on the phone, making its screen light up. After a while, the sisters calmed down and left Garnet's room. It was the culinary student's turn to cook. Pearl considered going with them, but the subtle hopeful look on her artist's face kept her there. She sat on the bed watching Garnet.

"I could make the bed bounce if you want," came a very familiar growl. Jasper leaned against the door jamb. "Then again, I might just throw something at her."

Pearl was on her feet in an instant, crossing the room with an indignant, "Don't you dare!" Garnet and Jasper blinked, one looking at her and the other in her direction, and the poltergeist grinned cockily. Before Pearl had time to react, the taller sibling swept her up in a hug so strong the dancer was glad she didn't have a body anymore. Easily lifting her up, Jasper went over to the bed and fell onto it making it groan. "Jasper!" They laughed.

"Pearl, is something wrong?" Garnet stood, unsure what to make of the shout she'd heard. A knock on her still open door made her turn to see who it was. Sardonyx stood there with an easy smile. "Yeah, Sar?"

"We heard a shout, is everything okay?"

"I think so," she shrugged. "Nothing's been thrown at anyone so far. That night be what Pearl was talking about."

"Oh, good! If I may?" She gestured to the room. Garnet nodded and she entered the room. "You look much happier now. Not that you looked unhappy before, but you know what I mean. Pearl means a lot to you, doesn't she?" No one would guess she majored in psychology with her attitude and at times overwhelming personality, but Sardonyx had a way of making you laugh before getting straight to the point. Both ghosts exchanged looks. They moved to get up but Garnet looked at it and shook her head. She figured they wouldn't have made the noise unintentionally.

"She does. She's my muse." She chuckled. "I'm glad she came home."

o+o+o

The clock slowly counted the minutes until three o'clock. After a long conversation with Sardonyx about how she felt about Pearl and the implications that surrounded those feelings, they'd moved to the living room for dinner. Opal had insisted they spend the rest of the night recounting stories of times when Pearl or Jasper was active. She was disappointed that most of the stories about the dancer involved cleaning until Garnet told her about the first time she met her.

Now Garnet sat on the edge of her bed waiting for her alarm clock to switch from 2:59 AM to 3:00 AM. She wasn't sure if she knew of a longer minutes than this one. It felt like hours were creeping past instead of seconds. Pearl was sitting beside her; Jasper had left to haunt the living room for a while. Finally, it was time. She felt the veil between planes weaken and drew energy from the electronics around her.

"Garnet." The artist looked up at the dancer now standing before her. A rush of excitement jolted her. She jumped up to hug the ethereal woman. Her arms and chest felt cold, and she slammed into the floor hard. Pearl kneeled next to her asking if she as okay, but all Garnet could focus on was the fact she couldn't touch Pearl.

"I can't touch you."

A hand covered hers. "I'm sorry." Pearl worried her lips. "Would you…would you like to hear how I died?"

 **A.N. Here's the translations for the Spanish phrases:**

 _"Amatista, ¿ves lo que yo? ¿Hay dos personas en la foto?"_ Amethyst, do you see what I see? Are there two people in the photo?

 _"¿Es algún truco?"_ Is this a trick?

 _"No. Sí ves a la rubia que está al lado de Garnet, ¿verdad?"_ No. You see the blonde next to Garnet, right?

 _"¿Cómo es que se sabe mi nombre?"_ How does she know my name?

 **If there are any mistakes, please let me know. :D**


	12. Chapter 12

**Oh my stars, I am so sorry for not updating sooner. This is partly due to a lot of things happening at once: work, reading House of Leaves (crazy great book), writing Whispered Words, and mostly doing research on the way Pearl died. A lot of searching with very little relative information.**

The words hovered in the air between them. Yes, she admitted; she had been curious ever since the night she met the beautiful apparition. Garnet nodded. She got the feeling the story she would hear wouldn't be as short as Jasper's. Maybe it would tell her what part Rose had in it all, and why Penrith and Jasper were openly aggressive towards her. Pearl smiled ruefully, "It took a while for me to die. It wasn't painless, either. For me, it started off just another ordinary day, aside from a fight with Rose about her new boyfriend. Rose and I bought groceries and came back to put them away before I had to be at dance rehearsal. There was a bag of bananas. I didn't think to check it before putting my hand in to get them out. Something bit my wrist and I dropped the whole bag on the floor."

Pearl looked at the wall, "I thought…I'm not sure what I thought. Rose asked me if I was alright, and I acted as if I was. I cleaned the bite mark and used some antibacterial ointment on it, wrapped my wrist, and went to rehearsal. By the time I got there, it began hurting like my arm was on fire. It was cool outside but I remember sweating. It felt cold and hot at the same time. I shook all through my warm-up stretches. Some of the other girls asked me if I felt well. Looking back at it now, I should have gone to the E.R. instead of practice. We were in the middle of the first song when my vision blurred and I fell. My chest hurt; I couldn't get enough air. I collapsed mid-step and passed out."

A long silence settled. Garnet wanted to say something to her visibly upset friend, but knew better than to interrupt her story. The blonde seemed far away from her then. Eventually the ghost spoke again. "When I woke up, I was back here and Jasper was waiting for me. That's when I knew I died. Jasper had been shot protecting me from a burglar two years earlier."

"What bit you?" Garnet asked quietly.

"Brazilian wandering spider. You'd think someone would've noticed a thing that big in a bag of bananas. It didn't help that I was also allergic to spider bites." She chuckled, looking at the artist. "So now you know: always check your bananas for spiders before purchasing." The artist gripped her quilt. She couldn't imagine dying. She couldn't imagine the pain her favorite ballerina went through. It wasn't fair. None of this was fair! Her hands shook as she forced herself not to attempt another hug. Pearl looked so defeated talking about her death. Even her attempts at humor failed.

A cold hand covered hers. Garnet looked at them taking in every detail, even the way she could see her hand through Pearl's. "I'm sorry you had to go through that, Pearl. Thank you for sharing that with me." Pearl nodded.

"It's okay, Garnet." She kissed her cheek whispering, "I'm tired now. Good night."

"Good night." She laid awake for an hour after that thinking about the beautiful dancer and the spider that killed her. Something else about what she'd been told bothered her too. Rose had been in a relationship with Pearl when she started dating Greg. Clearly Pearl hadn't liked that. Garnet rolled over, remembering the brief encounters she'd had with the larger woman and her boyfriend. Why would she date anyone else when Pearl had clearly loved her? If it were her, she wouldn't even think of being with someone else. Pearl was smart, humorous, kind, gorgeous, and an amazing dancer from what she'd seen… Garnet sat up in bed, the sudden realization washing away any sense of tiredness like a bucket of ice water.

She was falling in love with Pearl. With one hand she rubbed the sore spot on her head where she hit it earlier and wondered if it was even possible. Her phone buzzed loudly, and she picked it up before the noise could alert Amethyst if she was still awake. No number or name appeared on the caller ID, yet against her better judgement she answered anyway. "Don't tell me you're in love with her." Jasper's voice barked from the speaker. When she stayed silent the voice continued, "Great. Just great. It won't work. She's dead, you're not."

"I know that," Garnet whispered. "Where's—"

"She's in the kitchen resting. She can't hear us, so calm down. You're both idiots. By the way, it was Greg who killed it."

"It?"

"The spider, freak! Whatever, just…don't do anything stupid or I'll do a lot worse than throw furniture." The phone clicked, and the artist stared at it. It sounded like Jasper implied that Pearl had feeling for her, too. She didn't want to know what the poltergeist meant with her threat. Yawning, she put off thinking about it. Pearl was home, Jasper was threatening her, and Amethyst snored loudly in her room. Everything felt right again.

Jasper left the bedroom. She missed Pearl while she was gone and wanted to know what she did. She found her sister trying—and failing—to move dirty dishes across the counter. She laughed, the harsh yet soft sound startling her sibling who pouted at being teased. "What have you been up to, tiny dancer?"

Playfully sticking her tongue out at the taller ghost, Pearl lightly swatted her. "I danced. I danced so much that it drove Scott crazy." She twirled balancing on hers toes. "He doesn't like it when I do nothing but dance. What did you do while I was gone?" Jasper raised an eyebrow.

"I threw a few things at first, but it's no fun when you're not here to yell at me so I kept switching the channels on the TV to irritate Amethyst."

"And how long did that last?"

Jasper shrugged nonchalantly, "A few days. Then she made a game of guessing what I'd switch it to. It was…alright. Dad and Pa visited a couple times while you were out. Apparently Garnet sold them some drawings of you, and asked to hear more about you. You should've seen 'em. Pa was happy to get to tell someone about the time that girl called you a ballerina like it was an insult and you punched her."

"He told them about that?" Pearl gasped mortified. Her hand went up to cover her mouth in embarrassment. Jasper laughed loudly and later it would be heard in the playback of the recorder resting on the table. "Oh, goodness, why would he tell them about that?" She groaned. She leaned against the counter smiling as she listened to Jasper recount some of the crazy events that happened while she was away, like when Amethyst caught the stove on fire trying a new recipe she'd found online and when Garnet accidentally dipped a fry into some red paint on her pallet instead of the ketchup on her plate. The sisters talked all night long and were still chuckling when Garnet stumbled into the kitchen for coffee at dawn. The shorter blonde paused mid-sentence and stared at the artist as she set up the coffee machine.

"If you were still alive, you'd have the adorable blush. You know the one, where your cheeks go bright pink and the tips of your ears turn red?"

"I would not!"

"Would too."

"Jasper, you're so…ugh!" Pearl pouted unaware of Garnet walking her way. Too late to move, she shuddered as the artist walked right through her reminding her in a far too real way that she was not corporeal anymore. Garnet stopped to look over her shoulder, turning fully when the area she'd just walked past dropped another few degrees. "Please tell me that didn't happen."

A toothy grin answered her plea. "It happened, tiny dancer." Pearl shuddered again. She looked to Garnet, who was setting her unlocked phone on the table. {Good morning.} She was tempted to tell her off for walking through her, but refrained understanding Garnet couldn't see her. {How did you sleep?}

Garnet chuckled and hummed taking a sip from her mug. "Much better now you're home."

While the artist and dancer talked, Jasper thought about how they obviously felt for the other and how much both were bound to be hurt. They really were a pair of idiots. Nothing would bring Pearl back to life, and Garnet dying would devastate not only her but her family and friends too. She couldn't see any way they could be together without Garnet dying and becoming a ghost too. Pearl glanced at her seeming to read her thoughts as she grimaced back. "You're both idiots."

Pearl nodded sadly, her gentle voice wistful when she said, "I know." At that moment the poltergeist wished she could do something, _anything_ , to help.


	13. Chapter 13

**Okay, so I did not mean to take so long updating this story. Truly, I didn't, life just got in the way.**

 **I'm going to write a few short chapters leading up to a much longer (hopefully) Halloween chapter. If there's anything you like to read about, please let me know in a review or PM. I plan on writing 4 to 6 scenes before posting the Halloween chapter. :D**

 **Thank you for your patience.**

Starting in the first week of October, both artist and chef noticed an increase of activity in their shared apartment, especially in the kitchen where Pearl spent most of her time. Dishes would slide across surface tops, chairs would be pushed in at the table, and water would be left running in the sink. When they asked about it, Sapphire told them the veil was dropping which Ruby responded to with, "We need more brick dust." Her wife smiled at her and told her they'd make some soon.

Amethyst flopped on the couch next to Ruby. She knew the woman worked part-time as a security guard, and she loved to hear her stories about people doing stupid things while she's on-duty. She also wanted to see her reaction when Jasper decided to switch the channels. Frowning, Amethyst realized she knew very little about the more violent sister. "Yo, Jas, you had a job right?"

Her phone flipped over on the table, unlocked itself, and opened messenger. {Yeah, so?}

"So, like, what did you do?" Ruby had paled considerably beside her.

{Army reserve, volunteer baseball coach, and personal trainer.} There was a pause, and then more tapping. {Pearl said to go easy on Ruby.}

She pouted in the direction of the kitchen. She'd been looking forward to watching Ruby freak out.

{Opal's are better anyway. I like her screams.} That made the chef laugh, which made Garnet's mom peek at the conversation suspiciously. Apparently Pearl saved her from humiliation and she grinned despite her uneasiness. Under normal circumstances Ruby wouldn't even enter a place she knew was haunted, but Pearl made Casper seem terrifying. Ruby found she couldn't find a ghost who helps clean disturbing.

Glancing at her family coming into the room with snacks for movie night, Ruby got an idea. "You should have a Halloween party." Her daughter raised an eyebrow. "Your place is perfect! It's sort of big, Amethyst is always making new foods to try, and it's haunted. What's better than a Halloween party in a haunted house?" Amethyst grinned getting excited as she talked.

"Yeah, yeah!" She bounced in place, her enthusiasm spreading contagiously to the others. "It's gotta be a Halloween costume party! And Jasper can scare as many people as she wants. Pearl would probably like games…we could do that one bobbing for apples game." She added. "What do you say, G-squad?"

"Sure, but you're helpin' clean the mess after it's over."

"That's fair."

Garnet set down a large bowl of popcorn next to some open bags of chips and a pile of candy. Soda cans also covered the table, some empty, some recently opened, with an admonition from Pearl to clear away the emptied ones displayed on the artist's phone. It was Sapphire's turn to choose a movie and as she inserted the DVD, she gave Amethyst a brief summary of its story since she'd never seen Ladyhawke before.

"Wait, wait, you're telling me it's about this couple that was cursed by an archbishop? He's a wolf at night, she's a hawk during the day and they're stuck like that? What's with the boy? How's he fit in? Do they break the curse? What's goin' to happen to the bad guy? Why'd he even do that?" Amethyst questioned.

Sapphire gave a cryptic smile. "You'll see." She settled next to her wife on the couch, resting her head on her shoulder as a protective arm wrapped around her shoulders. Unaware that they were being watched, Garnet and Pearl looked at the scene wistfully, and ultimately acknowledging the latter's sister's words. They were both idiots. For all her attempts to distance herself Pearl found herself drawn more and more each day to the artist's side, while Garnet tried unsuccessfully to move on from her feelings for the ghost. Now was a perfect example: Garnet sat in the only armchair as Pearl sat perched on the arm rest, head no turned to look at the pictures under the television. Many were of the two friends and their families but a new one stood with them. It showed Garnet at her desk, looking happy and relieved as she looked to the side. Next to her, a thin strawberry blonde woman leaned in pressing a kiss to her cheek. The room behind the blonde could be seen through her legs and arms.

{Shut up and watch the movie, runt.} Jasper wrote.

Amethyst rolled her eyes shoving a handful of popcorn in her mouth. "Jush for tha', yuh can presh play." Japser scoffed, pushing the button on the remote. "Who else thinks it's cool we have a ghost that can do that?" The opening credits started and the group quieted down to watch. If Garnet felt cold, she never said anything. If Ruby got nervous, she pulled her wife closer.

About halfway through the film, Pearl moved to the kitchen. It hurt more than she wanted to admit being so close to the person she loved while unable to touch her. That she made the air around her cold also played a part in her separating herself from the group for a while. Her sister hadn't been wrong. "I am an idiot." She groaned resting her head in her hands.

"What's the matter, Pearl?" The former ballerina lifted her head. Sapphire stood across the table, looking at her with a patient smile. For a few long minutes she said nothing. There had to be a mistake, because it looked like the older woman could see her. No one other than Vidalia could see her since her death so why did Pearl get the feeling Sapphire could? "Please, don't be so alarmed. You left so suddenly I was worried you might not like it."

Wide crystal blue eyes stared at her. "You can see me? C-can you hear me?"

Sitting down, Sapphire giggled. "Yes, I can see, but I can't hear you. How are you feeling?" Pearl sighed. She glanced towards the living room to make sure Garnet hadn't gotten up. "She's still watching the movie, Pearl." Seeing how anxious her companion felt, the older woman smiled reassuringly. "What do you think of the idea for a Halloween party?"

"It's interesting," answered Pearl slowly.

"Hey, Pearl, get in here! It's getting to the good part!" Jasper yelled from the other room. The younger sister shook her head, an affectionate smirk on her lips, and as she stood she offered Garnet's mom a grateful smile. Sapphire hummed thoughtfully watching the ghost walk away. She had her suspicions about the ballerina but decided to wait and see what happens next.


	14. Chapter 14

A knock on the door distracted Amethyst from her show, and she grumbled the entire way to the door. She muttered curses under her breath as she looked through the peephole. The spiky black hair and bemused expression told her exactly who was at the door. She unlocked the deadbolt and door knob and let their guests inside. "Hey, Mr. S. 'Sup, Penrith?"

Penrith nodded curtly, shrugging off his coat, saying, "Would be better if it would stop raining, but whatever. How're you, Amethyst?"

"Eh, alright I guess. May I put your coats up? Garnet's working on a project, so I'll let her know you're here." She hung the offered coats up in the hall closet. "You guys thirsty? We got water, tea, coffee, milk, juice… I think we have some soda 'round here somewhere."

Jett smiled. "Some tea would be lovely, thank you."

"Coffee, please," Penrith requested. He studied the pictures around the living room with slight disinterest until his eyes stopped on one in particular. At first he thought it was a trick of the lighting, but after a couple of blinks and picking up the framed photograph, he paled realizing what he thought he saw was still there. "Jett, come l-look at this." His voice sounded unsteady even to his own ears, the sudden waver in his usually steady speech calling his husband over.

"What is—" His question cut short as he saw what had unnerved his partner. "How is that possible?"

"It has to be a trick."

"How? None of the pictures there are of Pearl have her wearing those clothes, and certainly not the ones Garnet has." Jett countered. He turned to Amethyst, who came in with two steaming cups. She set them on the coffee table before looking at them. Her eyes widened as she noticed what they were looking at and she grimaced. "Amethyst, when was this taken?"

"Uh, a few weeks back, maybe?" She scratched her arm nervously. "I'm not sure." She heard a door open further in the apartment. The two men kept glancing back at the photo as if the image would somehow change but it remained the same.

Penrith brushed a finger over the translucent figure. "Why didn't you tell us?"

Amethyst scoffed then. "Yeah, and how was I s'pposed to do that? Just call you and say, 'Pearl's a ghost living in our ghost and we got a picture of her'?" She rolled her eyes. "For all we knew, you would've called us crazy and never want to talk to us again! Not everyone believes in ghosts or spirits. You could have called us liars for all we know." She crossed her arms and glared at them.

"What's goin' on?" Garnet's accented voice asked from behind her.

"Mr. S. and Penrith found the picture of you and Pearl." Amethyst said. The artist said nothing, taking in the scene before her

Jett turned to her, sadness and confusion in his eyes as he asked the question weighing on his mind. "Garnet, how long have you known?"

She looked into eyes so much like Pearl's and felt her resolve break. "Since Professor Fiske gave the assignment to draw portraits."

"That long?!" He shouted. "She's been here all along?"

Garnet fished her phone out of her pocket, opened her notes app, and set it on the table. "Pearl? Are you here? I think your dads want to talk to you." There were a few long moments where nothing happened. Then, slowly, hesitantly, the letters began to type out across the screen.

{Hello, dad. Hello, papa.}

"How do we know that's really her?" huffed the darker man. "It could be anyone."

The tapping from the phone increased. {When I had my first recital, I was so nervous that morning I expelled all over my costume, papa. You told me not to worry and helped clean it up. Then you washed my outfit so that it looked like new. After the recital, you, dad and Jasper took me to our favorite diner and treated me to a slice of pie. You gave me a bouquet of daisies.}

Tears were flowing down Penrith's cheeks as he read the newest entry. He'd never told anyone about what happened that morning simply to spare Pearl the embarrassment of being teased by her older sister. "I love you."

{I love you too, papa. Jasper says she does too.}

"Jasper's here?"

{You don't think I'm just gonna abandon Pearly-Girl, do ya?} A few seconds ticked by, and then more words appeared. {You're coming to the Halloween party, right?}

Amethyst grinned. "Yeah, it's gonna be lots of fun." Garnet said nothing, imagining a little Pearl crying because she'd gotten sick on her dance clothes. She missed her guests agreeing to attend the party and remained in a daze for most of their visit. Only when a cold sensation swept across her arm did she snap out of her thoughts. She knew her beautiful ghost was expressing concern for her. Garnet soon got caught up in an intense debate with Penrith over modern and traditional art styles.

When the two men left, they assured her they would see her at the party in a couple of weeks. Garnet and Amethyst sank onto the couch. "That went pretty well."

"Yeah." Garnet smirked. "Could've been better though."


	15. Chapter 15

**I know the last one and this one are short, and next few one will be too, but I'm working on the Halloween chapter. It will be longer, promise. :D**

On October 23rd, Vidalia worked up the courage to ask a question she'd been anxious to say out loud to a person she was still getting to know. She leaned against the patio railing of the doughnut shop, sipping from her pumpkin flavored latte and watching Amethyst devour another doughnut. She waited for her to finish eating before speaking. "Hey, Amethyst? Do you know anyone named Pearl?" She was glad she waited as her friend began coughing, whipping her head around to stare at disbelieving at her. The incredulous look on her tanned face nearly made her laugh.

"Um, why do you ask?" The chef-in-training asked. Her visible eye narrowed, but the older woman could tell she was nervous.

"No reason, really. I saw an old friend who mentioned an Amethyst and I thought it might be you. You kind of match her description of her friend is all," Vidalia shrugged.

Amethyst bit her lip, wondering if it was a strange coincidence that her new friend might be talking about her ghost. "What's…ah, what's your Pearl look like?"

"She's tall, real skinny, and graceful. Her hair is this cool soft pink color that sort of spikes up in the back. What else? Oh, yeah. Her nose is kinda long, but it suits her, y'know? I met her at work."

The description matched what Amethyst knew about Pearl, but that last part rang a bell. She squinted at the blonde. "Don't you work as a janitor at Roseveil University?"

"Uh-huh. Not the most glamorous job, but it pays the bills."

"This Pearl, her last name's not Silverson, is it?" It was Vidalia's turn to cough, spitting coffee all over her shirt.

She stared at the culinary student with wide eyes. Her jaw dropped in shock. "Y-yeah. H-how'd you know that?"

"How do _you_ know her?"

"Uh-uh, I asked first."

"You asked if I knew her, but get all weird when I say her last name. You answer first." Amethyst pointed out.

"Alright, fine. I saw her around the campus from time to time. Actually, I was there the day she died." Vidalia shuddered. "Worst thing I'd ever seen. She was such a sweet girl. It was unfair how she went."

"She's my ghost roommate." Amethyst offered. "What do you mean by it was the worst thing you'd ever seen?"

Vidalia shook her head. "She was in so much pain and no one knew how to help her. I'd always wondered where she went when she wasn't on the stage."

"On the stage?"

"Sometimes she just shows up at the auditorium. She dances all the time there, it drives Scott nuts."

The student bit into another doughnut. "Who's Scott?" she asked.

"He's another ghost that haunts that place. He's fond of telling people to go away." Vidalia chuckled. "I swear, sometimes cleaning the stage area is like babysitting toddlers with those two around."

"So you see ghosts all the time?"

Pretty much."

"That is so awesome!" Amethyst grinned.

The blonde laughed, "Glad you think so. Not everyone's a fan." She was relieved that her new friend was supportive of her abilities. They spent the rest of the day sharing ghost stories and talking about classes and work. By the time they parted ways, both women felt better knowing they could tell the other about the strange things going on in their lives. Amethyst invited her to the Halloween party, and Vidalia promised to let her know if she could make it as soon as she could.


	16. Chapter 16

Jasper couldn't believe her eyes. There was no possible way she would accept the person Amethyst had just unknowingly invited into their home. After three years of nothing, not even an attempt at an apology to the sister she'd hurt, Jasper had made it clear _that_ woman wasn't allowed in her house. Her anger bubbled inside her and she managed to keep from throwing the short cook across the room. No, Amethyst didn't deserve that. _She_ did.

Beside her, Pearl let out a pained little gasp. She took a step forward raising her hand as if to try and touch the person she'd loved while alive, but then she turned and ran to Garnet's room. The door slammed behind her making the visitor tilt her head curiously in that direction. When it looked like she moved to investigate the sound, Jasper shoved her back. The look of surprise on her face almost made the poltergeist grin. Instead she sneered at the person she despised.

"Get her the hell OUT OF HERE!" She yelled. She knew everyone heard her say it. Their stunned expressions told her that much. "I WANT HER GONE! NOW!" She shouted, punching the glass end table with enough force to shatter it. The living room lights followed, showering the area with a rain of glass and tungsten. Jasper wasn't done yet.

Amethyst watched terrified as the couch lifted from the floor. It hovered near the ceiling for a moment, and realizing what the angry ghost intended to do, shouted for her to stop before someone called the cops. It didn't deter the poltergeist. The large piece of furniture flew across the room towards them barely missing Rose and hitting Amethyst instead. The young student groaned and sat up nursing her nose. Blood gushed freely from it. Already it began swelling, and she couldn't tell if it was broken or not.

"Let me help you with that." _She_ said. "I'll get some ice."

"Sorry, but I really think you should leave before Jasper throws that table again." A tan finger pointed at the mention item rising from the ground. She sounded fine, so she figured she hadn't broken her nose. "She's made it clear you're not on the welcome list."

"Don't be silly. Jasper died five years ago, she can't do anything to hurt me."

Amethyst looked back at the table. "Yeah, tell that to the flying table."

"A neat parlor trick, but it loses it shock value after a while."

"Then what about the pissed off blonde holding it up?" Her visitor furrowed her brows in confusion, risking a glance over her shoulder. "Yeah, Jasper doesn't look to happy to see you, and I don't think P's gonna stop her this time." The other woman, however, stared transfixed at the apparition before at her. Pearl's older sister stood holding the table over her head. Jasper had never been difficult to spot since she was six-foot-four, and the pale stripes across her face made her appear, if possible, more ferocious. Her snarl was exactly as Rose remembered it.

"Uh, Rose?" Greg started, "W-we should go. Thanks for inviting me to the party, but I think I'm gonna pass on that. I'm more of a trick-or-treat kinda guy anyway." His voice caught Jasper's attention, and she set down the chair she'd picked up.

"One night." She said.

"What?" Amethyst asked.

"Rose can come over only for the night of the party. That's just 'cause I think Greg's decent, got it? He killed that damn spider, so he's earned his invitation." Jasper glared at Rose. She didn't like saying it, but Greg was a nice guy. It wasn't his fault Rose acted the way she did. "Now get out."

The couple hurried to leave. Rose still looked pale after seeing someone she knew had been dead for five years. The door clicked shut behind them, and Amethyst turned to the ghost, tilting her head forward and pinching the bridge of her nose to stem the blood flow. "Tha coulda gone bedda. Didja hafta toss da couch?"

Jasper said nothing, using her remaining energy to return the furniture it their previous places before Garnet got home.


	17. Chapter 17

About ten minutes after their unwanted visitors left, Jasper paused in her work in get a pack of peas from the freezer. She grabbed a clean dish towel and brought them both to her injured roommate. Seeing the blood, she cringed knowing it was her fault. Rose should have been the one who got hurt. The ghost set the cold pack on her lap. She grabbed her phone and typed out a message.

{I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hit you, and you didn't deserve it.}

"What's your prob with her?"

{It's a long story. The worst part really is how she treated my best friend and little sister. There was also that time she got my favorite teacher fired.}

"Tell me?" Amethyst asked softly.

{Later. Promise. It's just…part of it's not really my place to say. It's Pearl's story.}

"I get that. Why'd you invite them to the party?"

Jasper grunted. The girl was sharp. {I like Greg. He's a good guy. He really cares. When he heard about what happened he came over to find the spider and get rid of it.} She didn't mention that he cried the whole time, or that he wrote a song for her little sister. Pearl had just appeared when he did and listened to it. It was an apology, a memoriam, and a promise all in one. Pearl sang it often when she thought no one was listening. {We're still planning on scaring the guests?}

"Yep."

{Good. I got have a wicked idea of what we can do.}

"It involves Rose, doesn't it?"

{Careful, runt. I might think you want to hit her as much as I do.}

Amethyst grinned. The mischievous gleam in her eyes made the ghost laugh.

{What are you thinking?}

"You'll see." Pearl walked out of the hallway to find the apartment a mess and Amethyst tending a bloody nose. She shot a glare at her sister who crossed her arms defiantly. "Uh, Jaz? You still here?"

Pearl strode over to the phone. {Yes, she's still here. She's going to finish cleaning this mess up before Garnet gets home.} She walked over to the broom, grateful for the TV clicking on and the time of year, and began sweeping all the glass into a neat pile.


	18. Chapter 18 - Halloween Pt 1

**This was meant to be much longer, but due to sudden illness I wasn't able to write as much. So here's the first part of my special Halloween chapter. The next part will be up tomorrow, which is the Day of the Dead.**

Halloween started with classes for both roommates. Amethyst had already left when Garnet woke, and had started coffee for her. The artist yawned as she poured her first cup, checking the time on the microwave. If the next bus to her class ran in thirty minutes, she had time to shower and eat before she left. When she opened the fridge, the amount of food her best friend had prepared for tonight surprised her a little. There were all kinds of snacks that would be heated later that day, and Garnet noticed a small box labeled "Pearl and Jasper" tucked away on the top shelf.

Despite her curiosity, Garnet took out the carton of milk and shut the door. She debated which cereal she wanted. When she pulled the box down and reached for a bowl, one was waiting for her on the counter. Shaking her head, Garnet swore that wasn't there a second ago. It scooted towards her and she startled. It slid again, slower this time, and she calmed down. "Thank you." She wasn't sure which ghost she thanked.

The rest of her morning passed without anything notable happening. Pearl didn't talk to her. Jasper didn't throw anything or shout. An eerie peace filled the apartment when she left unaware of the blue eyes watching her leave. When the door locked, she didn't see the playful punch one sibling gave the other. Garnet thought about the costume she had hidden inside her closet. Soon those thoughts were pushed aside in order to concentrate on the lesson. Most of the time was spent listening to the teacher's lecture and taking notes. The artist wondered what classes Pearl took, and what the dancer was doing, then hoped they'd get to talk before the party.

+o+o+

"Explain to me again why I'm attending this so-called 'haunted' Halloween party." Peridot said, pinning Amethyst with an unamused stare over the edge of her tablet. "Ghosts don't exist. There's a logical, scientific reason for whatever you think is going on in your place." She continued, squinting at her friend who sat eating a slice of pizza.

"Yeah, yeah, says the girl who tells anyone who'll listen that aliens from outer space are real. Who says they can't both be totally real?" Amethyst replied. She laughed at the incredulous look Peridot gave her. Most of their conversations usually revolved around extraterrestrials versus paranormal debates and science fiction. Their arguments tended to be ridiculous to the point where they just fell over laughing, only to repeat it the next time they met.

"There's an abundance of evidence to verify aliens exist. The same can't be said of the paranormal."

"Try saying that after you see what we've got. Anyways, are you coming over or not?" Amethyst asked raising her eyebrows. "I gotta know how much to heat up."

"Fine, I'll stop by your party. I've got a lot of homework to do still, not to mention coding the programming for my latest project…"

"Hey, one night off's not gonna kill ya." She looked at her friend, rolling her eyes at the t-shirt that proclaimed the truth was out there. "You got a costume?"

It was the technician's turn to laugh. "Don't need one. My normal attire should suffice. What about you?"

Amethyst leaned forward like she was sharing a major conspiracy. "I'm going…as a werewolf!" She howled loudly making Peridot groan as several heads turned to look at them. The pair finished their lunch quickly and left, saying good-bye until the party.

+o+o+

The first guests to arrive were Ruby and Sapphire. The security guard had put on a lab coat and blood splattered apron with a stethoscope draped around her neck. Her usual headband was replaced with a reflector from a doctor costume kit. Sapphire wore a blue gown which fit perfectly around her torso then puffed at the skirt. A gold blue-jeweled choker matched the tiara perched delicately on her head. The sleeves puffed out at the shoulders then clung to her upper arms before flaring out. Many of her students had appreciated the costume she chose and a few asked to take pictures with her. The couple helped set up decorations, flirting across the room, and eventually telling the girls they should get ready if they wanted to the ready by the time the other guests arrived.

Ruby stepped down from hanging a bat. She eyed it critically; it seemed a little crooked, she should fix that. Warm arms wrapped around her waist distracting her from the prop. "It looks lovely."

"Not as lovely as you," she replied, raising a hand to her lips. "I've been meaning to tell you, you look radiant."

"Mm, is that your professional opinion, doctor?"

"You know it, your majesty." She turned around in her arms showering her wife with kisses until Sapphire laughed. "There's my Laffy Sapphy!" She grinned proudly, pulling her closer. Sapphire laughed more, stealing a kiss, then another and another. They heard Amethyst come out of her room and make a comment about embarrassing parent kisses, answered by their daughter's casual remark that they did it all the time.

The teacher gave her wife one more kiss, and then went to help Amethyst with the food. While they were busy, Garnet finished setting up the decorations. She double-checked there were plenty of plates and utensils available. Around four o'clock someone knocked on the door. Ruby answered it, looking up at the two men standing on the other side. "Hello."

The one dressed as Gomez Addams met her stare. "We're here for the party. Are we early?" He didn't have to wait for her answer, as Garnet popped her head out the kitchen door. Her face lit up. "That's quite the grin, Ms. Ionra."

"Penrith, Jett! Come in, we're just finishing getting ready." She said. "This is my mom, Ruby. Mom, these are Pearl and Jasper's dads."

Penrith offered his hand. "Nice to meet you, ma'am. I'm Penrith, and my husband here is Jett. Your daughter's very talented." Ruby shook his hand, still uncertain what to make of the stranger in her child's home. Jett shook her hand next. He flashed a toothy smile and asked about her career, easily navigating social talk. Garnet noticed the sack he carried and raised an eyebrow at the dark-haired parent. "We thought we'd bring something for the party."

"Ah. Thank you," she chuckled. "Pearl and Jasper have been quiet the last couple of weeks since Rose visited."

Dark eyes glanced sideways. "What?"

"Amethyst let them in for a moment and Jasper didn't like it."

Penrith barked laughter, "I bet not! She never did approve of Pearl's girlfriend."

"A broken end table, five lightbulbs, the couch, armchair, and coffee table are proof of that." She listed with a slight smirk. "When I got home I was surprised to see my roommate putting in new lightbulbs. The broom sweeping on its own also shocked me."

His eyebrows shoot up. "Broom sweeping itself?"

She winked conspiratorially. "Turned out Pearl was upset enough about the mess to help clean it. She told me what happened later that night before I went to bed." They continued talking, with Sapphire joining them as the conversation shifted to other subjects. After that, more guests arrived. Peridot arrived dressed as an alien with her roommate Lapis who wore a halter top shirt that showed off her wing tattoos and a flowing skirt. Then Vidalia showed up bring with her a cautious couple she introduced as Doug and Priyanka. They were dressed in their work cloths still, which Amethyst easily shrugged off saying they looked like enough like costumes no one would notice.

Everyone was getting along and soon the apartment filled with lively chatter. Halloween music played softly from the TV. A knock on the door distracted Garnet from her discussion with Penrith and Lapis. She opened the door, and tensed. She felt her grip on the door tightened. "Rose. Greg."

"Hello, Garnet." Rose answered.


	19. Chapter 18 - Halloween Pt 2

**A bit later than planned, here's the second part. Happy belated Day of the Dead!**

Garnet stepped into the hall and shut the door behind her. She knew they'd been invited by Jasper, but something about the whole situation felt wrong. She wanted to be sure there wasn't going to be any trouble she couldn't handle and figured talking to them before letting them in was a good start. She leaned against the door frame mulling over how to start. "I know you're invited," she began, "but you should know the Silversons are here."

"Do they know about…?" Rose trailed off, unsure of how to finish her question.

"Yes." An uneasy silence settled over them before she continued. "Come in, just don't blame me if something happens and you run out of here screaming." Greg chuckled nervously. He still wasn't sure about coming back here after last time but followed the artist inside despite his doubts. He had a feeling something bad was about to happen. Inside people stopped talking for a second, and then resumed their conversations. Amethyst waved to them by the kitchen.

Grateful to see a friendly face, he went over. "Ah, hey, Amethyst. Cool party you got going on." She shrugged.

"Yeah, it's alright. This is my friend Peridot. She's a whiz with computers."

"Hello," Peridot greeted distractedly. She stared at Amethyst's phone trying to figure out why it seemed to be typing by itself. "It's doing it again."

"What'd they say?"

"'Where the hell are your sisters?'" She held the device up and raised an eyebrow at her. "Why does it want to know that?"

Greg looked between them. "What's going on?"

"Jasper's using my phone to talk to us, and typing is easier than calling for her right now" Amethyst said as if she were talking about the weather. "They're on their way, I told them to just walk in when they got here."

"Does this happen a lot?" he asked.

Peridot glanced at the screen. "Apparently. It is an unusual phenomenon, worth further analysis. I'm not saying this is proof that ghosts are everywhere, but I agree they are here." She looked like she'd eaten something sour saying it, but the cook's face lit up and she couldn't help smiling back.

"Great! Do you still have that DVD about alien tech in Mayan culture?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Can I borrow it?"

"You mean you want to watch it?" Pleased surprise made her voice sound higher. "Yeah, I'll bring by next time we hang out. Oh, I can't wait to point out all the subtle hints the narrator makes about everything." Sensing he'd been forgotten, Greg got a drink and went to see how Rose was doing.

Ruby and Doug were laughing, having found common ground with their jobs, when the short woman noticed a new face. She leaned closer to Sapphire. "Any idea who that is?" She asked referring to a tall woman with large pink curls. Her wife shook her head. Sapphire watched Jasper walk behind the stranger, casually pulling her hair on her way past, and frowned when she saw Pearl looking rather uncomfortable. "Should I get ready in case there's trouble?"

She knew exactly when Penrith and Jett saw the woman. Both had frozen; the blonde held onto his partner's arm and murmured softly to him. "No, love. Everything's under control. She kissed her cheek with a smile. "I'm going to get something to eat. Do you want anything?"

"Could you bring me something to drink please?" Sapphire hummed agreeably. As she made her way to the kitchen she intentionally went by Pearl. "Pearl, join me in the kitchen? It looks like it's clear now." Without looking back to see if the ghost followed, she continued on to the other room. As she fixed a plate for herself, she noticed the dancer slip into the room with a shudder. With so many people around it was difficult to move without walking through someone or being walked through. Neither experience were a sensation she liked. "I'm glad to see you again, Pearl."

Pearl nodded politely, craning her neck to check on the party. She knew Amethyst wanted to wait for her sisters, but… She put a finger to her lips then opened the fridge right as Priyanka and Vidalia entered the room. From where she stood at the opposite side of the kitchen, Sapphire smiled at the doctor's expression as she watched the refrigerator door open and shut by itself. Satisfied she'd spooked one person, Pearl walked back to Garnet's mom with a smug look.

"That felt good."

"I'm sure." Sapphire answered. Priyanka looked at her, more than a little unnerved by the scene and she continued, "That must've been quite shocking. Don't worry, no harm was meant."

Vidalia chuckled, winking knowingly at the ghost. "Oh yeah, totally harmless. Right?" The dancer pursed her lips. Her body language said she was irritated but her eyes betrayed her amusement. "They want to know if you're ready. Amethyst said her sisters are here." Pearl grinned and nodded, tossing a candy bar at the doctor and darting out to find Opal. Amethyst's sisters weren't hard to find and soon Pearl snuck up behind her target. She whispered gently in her ear.

Opal spun around looking for the person who'd whispered to her but found everyone else busy talking to other people. She calmed down, telling herself she was getting overexcited when it happened again. She almost understood the words that time. Again, she checked around to see who was doing it. Again, she found nothing. The whispering returned. "Don't turn around."

A chill ran down her spine.

Why shouldn't she turn around?

What would happen if she did?

This was a prank. Someone here was messing with her.

But what if they weren't?

"Don't turn around."

She shivered. Slowly, hesitantly, she turned—

"BOO!" A terrible snarling mouthful of bloody yellowed fangs snapped at her from a twisted, furry face with glowing eyes. She screamed, tripping over herself to get away and knocking over other guests. It a moment for her to hear the laughter, to realize the face was a mask and that it belonged to her younger sister. Opal took a few breaths trying to calm her racing heart. She wiped her palms on her dress skirt.

"¡No es gracioso!" She yelled at her sister.

"Okay, okay. Lo siento." Amethyst pulled the mask off. "But she's not."

Before anyone could figure out what she meant, the power shut off. Tossed into sudden darkness, people were reaching for their phones for light. Each time someone got theirs to illuminate the room, it would shut off. Garnet and Amethyst could hear the occasional mutter about freak blackouts, and Ruby swearing under her breath. Five long minutes passed in darkness and the guests were starting to get restless.

Suddenly a low growl sounded from the center of the room, growing louder and louder until it became a thundering roar. It was joined by maniacal laughter, shrill and piercing as it grated everyone's ears. Two pairs of large glowing eyes hovered above the crowd when it stopped. Opal had joined Ruby in cursing, hers a long flowing tirade in Spanish. "WHO DARES TO HAVE A PARTY WITHOUT INVITING US?!"

The TV flickered on showing nothing but static. In the flickering light, two new figures could be seen standing on the coffee table. One towered over them with broad shoulders and a wild mane of hair. The other was shorter and very thin casting an eerie gaze with wide round eyes. Penrith and Jett stared unbelieving at the scene. Ruby swore some more squeezing Sapphire's hand. Vidalia looked amused next to her doubtful friends, and Peridot's eyes had grown the size of saucers. Greg rubbed his neck, unsure of what was going on but not liking it one bit, while his girlfriend watched entranced. Sardonyx waited for the grand reveal, wondering how the act would finish.

"We're sorry," Garnet said loudly. "It was rude of us not to include you. Would you please forgive us and join our party?" She waited to see what would happen next. All she knew was that she was supposed to say those lines, as her roommate asked her right before the party. A luminescent grin flashed beneath the eyes of the larger form.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK? SHOULD WE FORGIVE THEM?"

"I DON'T KNOW. THAT APOLOGY DIDN'T SOUND VERY SINCERE…"

Garnet smiled. She recognized that voice anywhere. She walked closer to the table and kneeled. "I am truly sorry, spirits." She knew it wasn't part of her lines, but she couldn't deny it felt right.

Jasper exchanged looks with her sister. "WE'VE DECIDED TO FORGIVE THIS MISTAKE!"

Amethyst called out, "Will you join our party?"

"YES!" Pearl announced raising her hands and turning the power back on. It was a trick she could only do when the veil was thin, much like maintaining her temporary corporeal form. Music played from the TV again; the lively songs lightening the mood once more. The sisters stepped down from the table. Pearl went to Garnet, standing near her and biting her lip.

"You…I can see you. We can all see you. How…?" Garnet stammered trying to wrap her head around Pearl's visibility. The ballerina smiled sweetly, grabbing one of the artist's hands and bringing it up to her cheek. "I can feel you…I can touch you!" She laughed as she gathered the spirit in her arms, holding her tightly to her. A loud commotion drew their attention to Jasper and Rose, the former having just shoved the latter. "That can't be good."

Pearl stopped her from going over. "This will be over soon, I swear."

Jasper glared at Rose. She'd pushed her back to keep her from interfering with her little sister's moment with Garnet. "Don't. You don't get to mess that up, got it? She deserves to have her happy moment with the person she loves, so back up."

"You're telling me I can't see my dead girlfriend?"

"Ex-girlfriend, and I'm telling you to keep your distance."

"Move, Jasper." Rose demanded. She wanted to talk to Pearl.

"No. Oh, and this is for Amethyst's nose the other week." Jasper punched her with a right straight careful not to use too much force.

"Jasper Silverson, get over here this instant!" The woman cringed at the anger in her dad's voice. She trudged over giving the pink-haired woman one final look before facing her parents. Jett looked furious. "Young lady, we raised you better than that!"

"Even if she did deserve it, she's in your home." Penrith added. "If it were anywhere else, I'd say well done."

"Don't encourage it." Jett barked. He sighed. "Don't do it again, do you understand?" He couldn't understand how he'd ended up lecturing his deceased daughter, but a part of him was glad he could. "We missed you both." He hugged her, and held back tears when she hugged him back. He could feel his husband join the embrace. Seconds later, another set of arms circled around them. They looked up to see Pearl's smiling face, sweet and happy as ever.

Penrith sniffed holding back tears. "How is this possible?"

"Halloween?" Jasper guessed. "It doesn't last long."

That caught Garnet's attention. "How long?"

Pearl leaned against her side. "Not long. About an hour if we're lucky."

Garnet gulped. That wasn't much time. She wanted to do so much, talk more with her without having to use her phone as a median. Still, there was one thing she could do. "Dance with me?" Pearl nodded, her wide smile filling the artist with warmth. They found a spot where they could move without hitting anybody, and Garnet pulled her closer, moving to the music. Pearl matched her moves perfectly as if they'd danced many times before. When the song ended, the blond rose up on her toes to kiss her dance partner. Her lips were softer than Garnet imagined, and when they parted her smile saddened.

"Our time's almost up."

"Maybe, but you'll still be here."

"Yes, that's true…"

A throat cleared near them. They looked over to see Rose watching them. She looked exactly like Pearl remembered her. "I apologize for disturbing you. May I speak to you, Pearl? It won't take long, I promise."

Pearl squeezed Garnet's hand. "I'll be right back." She stepped over to Rose then refused to go anywhere else. "Yes, Rose?"

Dark eyes watered seeing her former lover in front of her. "I'm so sorry, Pearl. You were right; I should have told you about Greg. I should have helped you when you had the spider bite. There's a lot I should have done better. I'm sorry."

Pearl's affection for the woman battled with her incredulous disbelief. "Rose, I'm glad you're apologizing, but it doesn't change what you did. You always act without stopping to think how it affects the people around you. I'm sorry, but I need to get back to Garnet."

"But, Pearl…"

"No. She's who I want to spend this time with now. Good-bye." She turned and walked back to her waiting artist as fast as she could. Without a word, warm arms wrapped around her. She could feel her body dissipating slowly. "Thank you, Garnet."

"Thank _you_ ," came the muffled reply. Garnet nuzzled the crown of hair. She tilted Pearl's face up and kissed her again. The body in her hands vanished leaving only the faint impression of having been there an instant before.


	20. Chapter 19

**It's been over a month since this story was updated, yikes. This is mostly because of all the extra shifts at work leaving me with little time to write, but also due to writer's block. However, both have been taken care of, and regular posting will resume as normal. :D**

 **Thank you all for your patience.**

Amethyst sat in class trying to pay attention to what the teacher was saying, but her thoughts kept drifting back to the Halloween party and the events of Day of the Dead. They had gone to visit the sisters' graves with the Silversons.

Looking at the headstones standing side by side, one proudly declaring Jasper's rank and military branch beneath her name etched into the base of a miniature obelisk and the other an elegantly sleek white marble with a photo of Pearl mid-arabesque embedded above her name. Somehow seeing those headstones made it very clear that the sisters were truly dead and had been for a long time.

Opal and Sardonyx helped their sister arrange flowers around the grave stones and placed small round pan de muertes, while Garnet watched Penrith put penny on Jasper's marker and a small stone on Pearl's. There were many already there, and to Garnet's confused frown he said, "To let them know we were here." He offered his hand up showing her a palm full of the tokens.

Opal blinked owlishly over Amethyst's shoulder. "Why pennies?"

"Pennies mean you visited. Other coins have different military meanings." Jett quietly explained. "Pebbles mean the same thing."

People pushing and shoving their way out of the small classroom shook Amethyst out of her reminiscing. It was only a couple days after Thanksgiving, and they still had leftovers in the fridge. She shrugged her backpack over her shoulder as she stood and followed the last of her classmates out of the room. It had been the last course of the day. She was honestly glad about that, because it meant she could go home to find the apartment and watch TV until dinner. Maybe she'd do her homework. The bus ride home passed uneventfully giving her time to ask a classmate for the assignment she'd missing hearing earlier.

When she got back a loud, lively piano intro greeted her first. Confused, Amethyst stepped further into the apartment to find all the furniture pushed to the walls and the stereo playing music. "Uh…G? You home?" There wasn't an answer, and Garnet's room door was still closed. "Ooookay… hey, Jasper, what happened to throwing things and making a mess? P's gonna hate this mess." She chuckled, raising both eyebrows at the room. She unlocked her phone and opened a chat app, dropped it onto the end table, and went into the kitchen for a snack.

 _Bloop._ [Did it for her. She wanted room to dance without moving through things.]

"Wish I could see that. I like this song, what's it called?"

[Some Billy Joel song.] Jasper turned to Pearl. "Hey, which one's this?"

Pearl grinned as she spun around. "Only the Good Die Young."

[Only the Good Die Young.]

The screen indicated that the other person was typing. [She wants you to dance with us.] Amethyst grinned.

"So we're having a dance party?" She got up and stretched her arms. "Let the pro show ya how it's done!" The song switched, starting another with the sound of breaking glass and guitars. It felt nice to have a moment where the outside world didn't matter, when she didn't have to think about things like college and work, when Pearl didn't nag her and Jasper didn't cause things to move or break. That was how Garnet found her after her shift at the local grocery store. A tiny smile graced her lips as she watch her roommate dance in the middle of their living room.

A cold sensation brushed the side of her hand, followed by the feeling of having her sleeve pulled. Garnet didn't need any further prompting, hips swaying to the upbeat rhythms, a smile forming as she danced. If she closed her eyes, she could almost see the sisters dancing with them, and the memory of kissing Pearl rose to the surface of her thoughts. With a bittersweet grimace she reminded herself that it wasn't possible to be with the ballerina.

Later she and Amethyst pushed the furniture back to their places with Jasper's help. They cooked dinner together, worked on their assignments from school, and watched one of their favorite shows together. They didn't know that Pearl sulked in the hallway after the dancing ended. Her form slumped halfway through the wall as she glared uselessly at her own hands. She sighed. There was no point in getting angry with something she couldn't change and had accepted a long time ago. That didn't mean she had to like being dead. It didn't mean she had to like being unable to be with Garnet, either. The air around her grew heavy.

Jasper noticed first from her usual spot next to the window. She looked up with a scowl, her confusion showing clearly on her face. Her scowl darkened when she realized what was happening. It had happened before, shortly after Pearl had died, and she knew that if it didn't stop, her sister could become something far worse. The worst part is that Pearl never even knew what she was doing or had done in the past. Slowly, the former soldier moved ever to Garnet's phone. A gentle shove made it move. As soon as the artist had it unlocked, Jasper opened the app herself and typed.

{Get out of here. Call Vidalia.]

"What? Why?" Garnet asked catching Amethyst's attention.

[Tell her it's Pearl. Hurry. Get out.] By now Amethyst felt her hair stand on edge like she'd been shocked. Goosebumps rose on her arms. She grabbed her phone and Garnet's arm, tugging her roommate out of their home. Her thumb pressed call on Vidalia's contact name. It rang twice before the blonde's voice answered.

"Hey, Amethyst, what's up?"

"Jasper just kicked us out. She said to tell you it's Pearl."

A long silence followed, then, "You're sure?"

"Yeah, I am. 'Get out. Call Vidalia. Tell her it's Pearl.' Just like that. What's going on?" She could hear movement on the other end along with the janitor's muffled cursing. "Hey, seriously, what's the problem?"

"Your post-ghostie's turning. She's done it before. Almost lost her."

"Turning to what?"

"Last time was poltergeist, bordering banshee. Hopefully I can help stop it before that happens."

Amethyst stared wide-eyed at the door. "It's because she's dead and Garnet's not, isn't it?" She asked. She glanced at her friend. Wincing, she realized Garnet had heard her. The tense set of her jaw told the shorter girl how the older one felt. "You gotta hurry," she said as Garnet squared her shoulders and walked back into the apartment. "Garnet just went back in."

Vidalia paused mid-step before pushing on, her car keys shaking in her hand. "I'm on my way."

Inside the apartment, Jasper and Pearl stood glaring at each other across the room. Malicious intent rolled off the younger sibling in waves filling the room with a nauseating heaviness that nearly made Garnet's knees buckle the moment she set foot past the front door. She braced herself and went to the living room, where it felt the worst. There she could hardly stand and had to lean on the wall to remain upright. Her eyes scanned the room for any indication of the sisters. She didn't have a plan, didn't know this was even possible, but she wasn't about to leave them here like this.

A violent shove sent her flying through the open door, which slammed shut hard enough to shake the walls. Garnet growled, getting to her feet and trying to open the door again. It wouldn't budge. It wasn't even locked, and no matter what she tried, she couldn't get it to move even the slightest bit. "Jasper! Let me in!" Garnet could feel Amethyst trying to move her away from the door. "I know you're keeping it closed, so let me in, Jasper!"

"Not a chance!" Jasper growled through the wooden portal. She glanced at her sister who appeared in the small entryway. The blonde turned her icy stare at the poltergeist, and Jasper prepared herself for what would happen next. "Pearl, it's not your fault. Don't blame yourself." Suddenly Pearl hovered mere inches from her still staring up at her with that eerie wide, round, blank icy stare, and that was the last thing Jasper saw before she vanished.

The front door silently opened; the glacial way it did should have warned Garnet of what lay beyond. Instead, she walked determinedly through. Before Amethyst could say a word or take a step, the door shut again just as silently as it opened.


	21. Chapter 20

**I meant to post this earlier, honest~! _"**

When Vidalia arrived, Amethyst was slamming herself into the door trying to get it to reopen. The tanned woman glared at the steadfast door. She'd been trying for the past fifteen minutes to make it budge since Garnet went in. When she looked up, she pushed her hair out of her face with an annoyed expression. Vidalia glanced at the door. "What's going on?"

"Ugh, I don't even know!" The chef-in-training groaned. "One moment, everything's fine, then Jasper's telling us to get out an' call you, saying something about Pearl, then you said that stuff about her changing, and the door just opened and Garnet went in, and now it. Won't. Open!" She punctuated the last three words by hitting the door while turning the handle.

"Wait, calm down a bit Ame." The blonde said. "How long ago did the door open?"

She got a frown, before her friend scrunched her eyebrows. "Fifteen minutes ago?" She slid back against the door, her head lowered. "It's bad, isn't it?" Vidalia sat down next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"I'm not gonna lie. Garnet put herself in major danger going in there. Unless Pearl talks about whatever's going on and accept it, she could turn for the worse permanently. I think I know why she's doing this, though."

"Yeah?"

+o+o+

It felt cold. No, she corrected, it felt freezing in the apartment. When she exhaled, she could see her breath clouding in the air. It also looked darker inside, although it seemed like nothing changed at all. Goosebumps rose along her arms, and in the back of her mind she heard her mom tell her to turn back and get out while she could. She closed her eyes, thinking of all the times she'd talked to Pearl, each little touch, watched her dance. She thought about the Halloween party and their kisses. She opened her eyes and kept moving. "Pearl?"

The further she went, the closer she got to her room, the more the artist felt the cold and dark growing. Now there was another element to the threatening atmosphere: abject silence. Garnet realized she couldn't hear her breath, or footsteps, even her heartbeat sounded abnormally muted. A knot formed in her stomach as it finally dawned on that she was in real danger this time. What if she couldn't get through to Pearl? Pushing those thoughts to the side, the artist slowly pushed her door open. Her eyes fell on the figure sitting on her bed.

Pearl's head snapped up the second Garnet set foot in the room, and the intense blank stare she pinned the artist with made her want to run from the apartment and never return. She froze, warily watching Pearl, and waited for her to make a move. When she didn't Garnet took another cautious step moving slowly as if the ghost were a coiled viper ready to strike at the wrong move. ' _She's changing into something else.'_

"Pearl," Garnet softly gasped, daring another step closer. "What's wrong?" Pearl blinked owlishly, tilting her head a little to the side. For a brief moment the artist swore she saw recognition, and anger, and…sadness? Then it transformed back into the blank stare and she cursed herself for not saying anything.

+o+o+

Amethyst and Vidalia sat against the wall beside the door. Ten minutes had passed without any sign of what was happening inside. Even Vidalia hadn't said much since declaring she had an idea of what was upsetting Pearl. According to her it had happened once before, a few months after Pearl died, and it had taken days for Vidalia to talk her down.

"What made it happen last time?"

"She resented that she was dead and held onto all of that negativity. It started to twist her into something terrible. Her eyes…" She shivered. "It was so weird. She had this creepy vacant stare. I swear it was like she could freeze the whole area around her." Vidalia chuckled bitterly.

Amethyst glanced at her from her visible eye. "How'd you stop it?"

"I eventually convinced her to admit that there was nothing she could do about being dead and encouraged her to accept that she would eventually hurt someone if she kept letting her anger get the best of her. It took a while, but she did calm down and talk to me about it. I don't think she ever got closure over what went down between her and Rose."

Amethyst was quiet, thinking about what Vidalia said. Some of it made sense, but she had a lot of questions with no answers. She opened her mouth to ask about Rose. Vidalia shook her head, saying, "It's not my place to say, Ams."

+o+o+

When Pearl gave no indication of moving Garnet sat next to her on her bed. Her body shivered in the freezing air. She didn't say a word, just rested her hand next to the ghost's. Long moments passed. The artist waited for a sign of acknowledgement. Silence stretched between the pair, turning each second into eons, seeming to form an impassible chasm with every word not said.

Unable to bear it anymore, Garnet sighed. The words left her so easily they were almost mutinous. "I keep thinking about Halloween, and our kiss…kisses." She felt more than saw Pearl's eyes on her and continued. "I keep wondering if it's wrong that I liked them so much, but I don't regret them. I don't regret how I feel about you, either. I love you. And it hurts seeing you in pain. Please, tell me how I can help you, Pearl."

Her hand grew colder still suddenly, and without looking she knew the ghost was holding her hand. She looked over at Pearl. There was that look again. "You can't. Unless you have a way of bringing the dead back to life." Pearl laughed bitterly. "I just, I want you to be happy with me, but that can never happen. I'm dead…and you're not. You're alive and breathing, and strong, and able to interact with people. You're always together. You're perfect. I'm just a ghost that can't move on."

Anger bubbled up inside the darker woman's chest. "You're wrong! I'm not perfect, and I'm not strong! I'm not… There are times now that I look to you for strength. You're not just a ghost. You are so much more."


	22. Chapter 21

**Hello, all~! I'm so sorry how late this update is. My laptop charger decided to fry itself (thankfully not the laptop) and I had to wait until the new one arrived. :( Good news is, I've figured out how to solve the question of how Garnet and Pearl will be with each other! Let's just say it was a rather genius idea inspired by Halsey's song "Ghost", and Leslie Jones' line in Ghostbusters ("That is a room of nightmares, not going in there.")**

Pearl looked at Garnet, studying her face for any sign she hadn't meant what she'd just said. She couldn't find any, only open honesty and love in the eyes gazing back at her. "Th-thank you, but it doesn't change that I'm dead or that I shouldn't have kissed you at the party."

"Do you regret it?"

"Yes…and no. It's complicated. I don't regret doing it. Kissing you was one of the best things of my afterlife." She was quiet for a moment. Her companion waited as she picked her words. "It's doing it and knowing we can't be a couple that I regret. Not unless something happens to you, and I don't want that."

Then she noticed how pale Garnet had gotten, the way she shivered, and the blue tint in her lips. From the way she could see the living woman's breath in the air between them it was cold. The fact that no such thing happened with her should have reminded Garnet that she wasn't alive. It should have told her she didn't need to worry about her. With dawning horror, she realized that despite the freezing temperature, her artist had stayed to find out what was wrong. "Garnet, you're _freezing_!"

"I-it's fine." Garnet replied, but the ghost was already using what energy she had to pull her to her feet. Ethereal hands pushed at her back directing her to the door. "Pearl, r-really, I-I'm alrigh'." The student protested as she fought to keep from moving any further.

"No, you're not!" Pearl said exasperated, "You're lips are blue!" She shoved some more and managed to get her into the hall. It got harder and harder the longer she tried, and the only other way she knew would end up hurting the woman she loved. The temperature in the apartment would take a few minutes to warm up after she left, and she couldn't do that if Garnet stayed. "Look, if you stay here, you'll get sick. Just wait outside for a while and warm up. It'll be alright."

Hearing that made Garnet stop. Despite all of the ghost's efforts, she would not budge. The artist turned her head to glance at the fading specter with a guarded expression. "Will you still be here?"

Blonde eyebrows furrowed. "What?" Her voice sounded a lot fainter than it did earlier. Mix-matched continued to watch her as she slowly realized what Garnet meant. "Yes, I'll still be here. I'll stay." Garnet nodded and walked to the front door. One hand on the handle she turned to pin the half-torso apparition with a meaningful stare. Pearl smiled and vanished from sight. Whether just from sight or to her other haunting ground, the artist didn't know; she just hoped it wasn't the latter.

Amethyst and Vidalia looked up the instant they heard they handle turn. The tanned girl shot up, tackling Garnet into the wall with her face pressed in her shirt. "Finally! You were in there for hours!" She pulled back enough to glare worriedly at her best friend. "I thought Pearl might've…I dunno…hurt you somehow."

Garnet shrugged. "She didn't. She just made it cold in there."

"Uh, G?" Amethyst gave her a worried once-over. "You look like you spent the day in a freezer." Vidalia nodded her agreement, her expression sympathetic to the taller student's condition.

"Let's wait a few more minutes. Pearl's probably left to give the place some time to warm up again." She noticed the brief flash of emotion flicker across Garnet's face, but it vanished behind her calm mask before the blonde can figure it out. For reassurance, she added, "I'm sure she'll be right back." When they do finally reenter the apartment, the first thing Amethyst notices is how cold it is. It's warmer to her roommate, who looks around behind her shades for a sign of her favorite ghost, while Vidalia notices Jasper's distinct absence.

After a couple of minutes where Amethyst turns the heat on and gets some snacks ready, she wondered what happened to the poltergeist. There was a tap on her shoulder, and then she could have sworn she heard someone whisper, "I'm sorry." Chuckling nervously, she shrugged it off as the ballerina apologizing for kicking her out of her home for a while, so she missed her friend's tired sigh. Vidalia felt more than a little surprised to see Pearl still there.

"Garnet made me promise," the dancer said softly. "I said I would until you returned."

"Goin' back to the stage now, huh." It wasn't a question. Both knew that next time they talked, it would be at the school. "Where's Jasper? You teleport her again?"

"Y-yes." Pearl said slowly. "I don't know where, but I have a feeling it's Michigan."

The janitor's eyebrows rose. "Michigan?"

"Y-yes. Tell Garnet I'll be back in a few days? Jasper'll be back by then."

"Will do."

"Hey, Vi, mind fillin' us in on what's goin' on?" Amethyst raised her voice. She stood with her arms crossed and tapping her foot on the kitchen floor. "Why's she leaving? P, you're not just gonna ditch us, are ya?"

Pearl fidgeted. If she were still alive, she was sure her cheeks would be bright red by now. She bit her lip, torn between leaving for their safety in case she felt the change return and staying with the two women who had accepted hers and Jasper's presence so easily. Against her common sense, she shook her head, unable to tell Amethyst otherwise. Pearl moved to the living room to perch in her favorite spot on the couch. Wide eyes glanced at Amethyst.

"She's staying. She just sat down on the couch. I've never seen her listen to anyone like that before."

Both roommates turned to said couch. Although they couldn't _see_ her, neither had trouble picturing her curled up at the end. "What about Jasper?" Garnet finally asked.

"Pearl…sends her away." Vidalia chuckled. "Said something about Michigan."

The trio laughed a bit at that. The tension that had taken place in Garnet's shoulders melted away with the knowledge that the ballerina had kept her promise. She still wasn't sure how they would solve the main obstacle keeping them together and apart at the same time.

Amethyst invited Vidalia to stay the night, insisting she wanted to hang out more. The older blonde chuckled and agreed only if she got to hear more of Amethyst's adventures. Almost immediately the shortest in their group launched into a story about the time she'd nearly ruined one of Sardonyx's magic shows by switching her pet rabbit out for a toad she'd caught playing in the backyard. So caught up in listening to the story, Vidalia didn't notice Pearl returning to the kitchen to hear the story as well.

"So then, Sardonyx reaches into the hat, telling everyone that she'd turn a handkerchief into a fluffy brown rabbit, and pulls out the frog!" Amethyst says, her words dissolving into peals of laughter. "The look on her face was priceless! You could hear people giggling at her, and some jerk said if she was a real magician, she'd have really pulled out a rabbit instead of messing the trick up."

"What did she say?" Vidalia asked between giggles.

Amethyst's grin grew impossibly wider, "She looked him in the eye, and said, 'Real magic is as unpredictable as the weather, so clearly I did it right!'" Lilting, clear laughter filled the room. It clearly didn't belong to any of the living women in the room. It went on for a couple of minutes before fading away, but the pleased awe on Amethyst's face remained the rest of the night.

+o+o+

The next day Garnet woke feeling like someone had stuffed her head with cotton. Her throat and chest ached, and she felt warmer than normal. Peeling her sweat-soaked tank top off, she grunted at the way it tired her doing just a simple task as removing her shirt. Pushing herself to her feet, she walked to the bathroom for a thermometer. She checked the time as she waited for the thermometer to do its job. She didn't have work that day, but she did have two classes.

The device beeped. She frowned when she saw the display read 99.4 degrees. Reaching for a bottle of ibuprofen, she swallowed two pills. She went to the kitchen for a glass of water. Amethyst and Vidalia were already there, both leaning against the counter with mugs of coffee. Amethyst's hair looked comical pointing every direction. It was obvious she hadn't brushed her hair since tumbling out of bed. Vidalia, on the other hand, showed no trace of having spent the night other than her bare feet.

"Whoa, G, you look terrible." Her roommate said as she began filling a glass at the sink. "You feelin' okay?"

"Fever." Was the answer she got. "Goin' t'bed after texting my teachers."

"You need me to get ya anything?"

"Soup, thanks." Garnet replied between drinks. "Mornin', Vidalia."

The taller blonde nodded back. "Morning, Garnet." As Garnet left to return to her room, she called out, "Hope you feel better soon!"

The small trash bin she kept in her room had been moved to her bedside, and her phone screen was dimmed. A message on the screen caught her eye. 'I'm sorry. Get well soon.' Garnet smiled at the words. Throughout the day, Amethyst checked up on her, even bringing the assignments from her classes so she wouldn't fall behind. Most of the time she slept. She dreamed of Pearl dancing on a stage in front of a backdrop Garnet had painted, her lithe figure moving gracefully across the stage. Her hand extended to Garnet sat in the front row, beckoning her to join in. As Garnet's dark hand slid onto Pearl's pale one, she found herself staring amazed at the contrast. Then they were dancing together. Her contemporary style complimented Pearl's classical ballet like matching puzzle pieces.

The more they danced, the weaker Pearl got. Garnet only realized this when she felt Pearl's hands slid away. She scrambled to catch the dancer, the other woman's slim body slipping through her hands. She quickly knelt at her side cradling her to her chest. Pearl smiled at her one more time and relaxed completely. In her place, a corpse lay in Garnet's arms wearing a mask of tortured agony. Tears burned trails down her cheeks and her heartbreaking wail devolved into sobs.

Soft pressure on her shoulders startled her awake. Pearl's concerned blues stared wide-eyed at her. "You looked like you were having a bad dream, I had to wake you."

"Thank you," the artist said after taking a moment to calm down. "It wasn't all bad. I got to dance with you again." She added with a tiny smirk. She felt better, but she was still tired. Garnet lay back down. Seconds later she felt arms wrap around her neck and waist. The faint smell of cherry blossoms and citrus filled her nose. Knowing Pearl was with her, she settled into a restful dreamless sleep with a smile.


	23. Chapter 22

**Merlin's beard, it's been too long. Quick update: I currently teamed up with The-Gremlin-Man on tumblr for a creative writing contest in graphic novels that took up most of my free time, and the cat I'm pet-sitting had a litter of kittens. The next chapter will be updated sooner, and will give a clue to how Pearl's problem could be solved. :D**

 **Thank you to all those who've stuck by this story and waited for an update. I love you all.**

After that night, things settled down. It almost seemed like they were back before the Halloween party, with the obvious absence of Jasper's presence. Not even Pearl knew when she'd reappear. At the apartment, the activity tapered down to what it was when they first met. Between work and classes, neither girl had much free time. Christmas passed in a flurry of chaotic celebrations between both families. Classes resumed, and still no sign of Jasper.

Amethyst sighed, her visible eye staring blankly at the TV screen. She missed having the older sister randomly change channels in the middle of her program. "Ugh, how long does it take for her to get back? I'm bored!" She turned off the TV and went to her room to sleep.

+o+o+

As much as she loved Pearl, she equally hated being banished. It felt _wrong_. And _cold_. Why was she cold? Maybe if she could see anything, she would at least know where she was she'd feel better.

+o+o+

Amethyst yawned. Watching TV wasn't as fun without Jasper randomly switching channels got boring fast. She opened her textbook to go over the lesson from the night before. She felt Garnet join her on the couch. The taller student had her own book open, her laptop sat open on the table with her phone lying next to it. Neither had really noticed any activity for at least a week. Though it was never brought up, Amethyst knew her friend worried that Pearl had left again.

A few days later, Vidalia confirmed her worries. She and Amethyst were making pizza when she casually mentioned the ballerina. It was an off-hand remark, not something she immediately thought of as important. "Pearl's been practicing a lot lately. I've seen her at work every time I clean the auditorium."

The knot in Garnet's stomach tightened. Pearl promised. "What's she dancing to? Do you know?"

Blinking, she looked up. "No music that I can hear. She always returns here when she's done."

"Yeah? When's that?" Amethyst asked. She knew the janitor worked late.

"Usually around one or two in the morning, but she always disappears for a little while around eleven." Garnet blinked behind her glasses. She normally went in her room about that time to get ready for bed. That Pearl left her other haunting grounds at the same time couldn't be coincidence, could it?

She hummed thoughtfully into her cup, letting herself wonder what Pearl's dancing looked like in person rather than on screen. "Bet that drives Scott crazy."

Now it was the blonde's turn to blink. "How do you know Scott?"

"I don't," Garnet answered. "Pearl mentioned once or twice he doesn't like her dancing all the time." They all laughed, the mood in the room lightening.

"He complains about it, but I bet you ten bucks he secretly likes having her around." They laughed again. The conversation shifted to other topics.

+o+o+

The scenery around her looked familiar. Glad she could finally see something, the former soldier eyed her surroundings warily. Unsure of how long she'd been banished, Jasper grunted. However long it had been, it looked like Vidalia had managed to talk Pearl down again. She heard laughter coming from the kitchen. As Amethyst's snorting chuckles reached her, the poltergeist grinned. She knew exactly how to let her favorite cook know she was back. Moving over to the TV, she turned it on, making sure to raise the volume to the max. The sudden violent disruption definitely got their attention. Garnet and Vidalia rushed in the room first, the medium's face flickering through about ten different emotions before settling on relieved.

"Yo, J, is that you?" shouted the short woman walking over with wide eyes that searched the room for any sign of where Jasper was. With a smug smirk, Jasper knocked a picture frame off of the entertainment set. A face-splitting grin appeared on the Latina's face. "You're back!" Still grinning, she jumped over the backrest of the couch, eagerly reaching for the remote. It slid away from her and she lunged for it before it could fall off the table. "Yo, V, you gonna watch some TV with us?"

Vidalia chuckled, "Thanks, I'll pass. It's getting late anyhow." She went over to pull the shorter woman into a hug. "Welcome back, Jasper." She said pulling away. The blonde nodded, one large hand shooing her away. It didn't affect her at all. Vidalia hugged Garnet and left, greeting Pearl who had just returned. The door shut closed behind her with a click, but it was the sound of the deadbolt sliding into place that got Garnet's attention. The air around her got colder, and passed, but she swore she'd felt a touch on her hand.

She followed the cold spot back into the living room. Garnet smiled. "Welcome home." Taking her seat in the armchair, she enjoyed the rest of the evening watching Amethyst and Jasper switch channels. If the chill occupying the space next to her gave her butterflies, she didn't say it. If the faint impression of being hugged made her skin feel like a thousand static shocks, she didn't show it. She just smiled.

+o+o+

"Pearl, you're still an idiot." Jasper grunted as she watched the roommates go to their rooms for the night. She rolled her shoulders. "You both are."

The blonde rolled her eyes. "Yes, I know. I'm glad you're back."

"Yeah, same here. How long'd it take Vidalia to sort through your issues this time?" Despite the rough way she phrased it, her voice gave away her concern. It worried her when her little sister lost herself.

Pearl chewed her bottom lip, unsure of how to tell her, but knowing the elder sibling would find out sooner or later. "She…she didn't."

"What."

"Garnet did."

"WHAT?!" Jasper yelled; her eyes went comically wide as her brow furrowed. Her shout brought Garnet and Amethyst out. The two students looked tired and confused. "I must have heard you wrong, 'cause it sounded like you said that Garnet talked you down. Last I knew, _SHE WAS THE REASON YOU WENT OFF IN THE FIRST PLACE_!" Pearl gestured to her to quiet down, but she wasn't listening. She kept yelling about it.

"SHE HELPED ME BECAUSE SHE UNDERSTANDS WHAT I'M FEELING! _SHE UNDERSTANDS, JAZZ_!" Pearl snapped. "She knows what I feel. Like you said, we're both idiots!" Tears welled in her eyes.

"Shit, don't- Don't cry. Shit. I'm sorry." Jasper growled. "I got carried away. I'm sorry." She opened her arms hoping her sister would accept her apology and a hug. The moment the slim figure of the dancer leaned against her, she relaxed. "If you're an idiot, then I am too."

Pearl tilted her head. "You're…what?"

The arms wrapped around her tightened. "You heard me."

"Yes…" She replied. She blinked up at the light brown eyes glowing back at her. A wide grin flashed across Jasper's face. She shook her head exasperatedly at the jovial expression, a small smile. "You're too much." They remembered their living friends then, and after sharing sheepish looks, Pearl reached for Garnet's unlocked phone.

[We're sorry. We didn't mean to wake you.]

Garnet frowned. "Ev'rything okay? I heard shouting."

[Yeah. Just got surprised. Amethyst, go back to bed, you got class in the morning.] Jasper answered. The girl groaned but went back to bed. Being asleep was preferable to being awake. Garnet hesitated having heard enough to tell they'd been arguing about her. Soft pushes snapped her from her thoughts. They nudged her towards the hall with gentle insistence and she could see a pair of translucent hands on her arm. She let Pearl guide her to her room, smiling the entire time.


	24. Chapter 23

**Wow! over two months since I last updated, I am sorry about that. In my defense, the summer brought with it the Summer Reading Program and both artist/writers' block. Thankfully, writer's block has passed so I'll try to have more chapters up by Sunday. Thank you all for being so patient.**

Pearl liked to watch people sleep. There was something wonderful in observing a person in their most relaxed, peaceful state that she adored. Her sister called it creepy the few times she'd been caught while they were alive, and so had many of her so-called friends. Even her dad had mentioned it was an odd habit to have. Rose had found it endearing, had said she felt loved when Pearl watched her in the mornings before she woke and evenings before the ballerina slept herself.

Now she sat perched on the side of Garnet's bed silently observing the steady movement of her breathing. She reached out, her fingers hovering over the soft skin of Garnet's cheek for a moment before she changed her mind, and withdrew her hand. All of the time she spent on stage dancing had given her a chance she'd never taken before. She'd thought about everything: her life living with Jasper, her relationship with Rose, Jasper's death, the last fight she had with Rose, her death, and everything that happened since her first conversation with Garnet. It led her to a few important revelations.

First, that she felt strongly about Garnet. The depth of love she felt for the artist surprised her in its intensity. The love she felt for her dwarfed that which she felt for Rose and that terrified her. At the same time, however, it calmed her. If she were honest with herself, Pearl admitted she'd begun to feel disconnected. Time had long ago turned meaningless, a thing to be ignored rather than acknowledged. Even as the numbers on the clock changed she didn't notice it at all as she continued watching Garnet sleep. As terrifying and calming as this emotion was, Pearl would trade it for another.

Which led her to her next realization: she needed to talk with Rose. She needed to talk about their relationship, about Rose's flings, and about Greg. If she was to have any kind of closure in that aspect of her afterlife, it had to be done. She also wanted to know what happened that led to Jasper being so angry towards her former girlfriend.

She didn't want to think about the last one. It felt too final to put into words. She knew it would happen eventually, yet chose to ignore it in favor of spending more with Jasper, Amethyst, and Garnet. Garnet rolled onto her side and mumbled into her pillow making the phantom giggle. Pale fingers hovered over the sleeping artist's cheek. She hesitated again, pulling away only to hear her name called, and stopped. Pearl looked to make sure Garnet hadn't woken up. Those beautiful heterochromatic eyes were still closed. She relaxed a bit before hearing it again. "Pearl, don't leave."

The innocent plea hurt her, as if she still had a beating heart and someone had lanced a red hot needle through it. Her fingers softly brushed over Garnet's cheek. "I'm sorry, Garnet. I've been gone this whole time, don't you see?" Had she been awake, Garnet would have seen the overwhelming sadness in Pearl's eyes and the way her lips trembled as she fought to keep from crying out loud. How cruel, the ballerina thought, that I died before meeting you. She didn't say a word of her thoughts. She sat beside the artist and watched over her sleep, fingers now combing through the thick mass of curls as the hours passed.

She saw the sky darken, and then watched as it brightened bit by bit. Dawn painted the sky and clouds in brilliant pastels of pink and purple with hits of pale orange highlighting them. Birds flew past the window chirping to each other. Pearl in her previous life would be awake and cooking breakfast by this time. Now she leaned down to kiss Garnet's cheek before heading to the kitchen to see if Jasper would listen to her plan to speak with Rose. Her sister stood looking out the window at the sidewalk below.

"Jasper?" She started, her tongue tripping over her sister's name. "Do you mind if I asked you a question about…well…you're not going to like it…it's…"

"For fuck's sake, Pearl! Spit it out!" The elder sister snapped impatiently. She had a feeling where this was going.

"It's about Rose."

"What about her?" Jasper growled. She frowned when Pearl flinched and forced herself to relax. "Just say what you got to say, alright?"

Pearl nodded, nervously twisting the hem of her shirt. "I think we should have her over." She lifted her eyes to see her sister look out the window, her fist clenching against her thigh as she thought. The soldier honestly hadn't expected Pearl to suggest it. "We have a lot we need to clear up, don't we? I know you want to know what happened with Ms. Diamante."

Jasper glared at her for a moment, the intensity of it making the other flinch away before bravely stepping forward again. She turned her glare to the world outside their home and considered it. She wanted answers. She wanted apologies. She knew it was likely she wouldn't get what she wanted…still, it wasn't the worst idea she'd ever heard. Her sister waited quietly, moving to look out the window with her. "Did you know?"

Pearl knew what was really being asked. "No, at least nothing specific. She never really spoke about it." She worried the hem of her shirt, stealing glances from the corner of her eye every few seconds. "You were close to her, weren't you? More than we knew."

"Yeah. Not in any romantic way, though. I looked up to her." Garnet shuffled to the kitchen and a moment later they heard the coffee machine start. "She was my hero, Pearl. Ms. Diamante saw more in me than just another muscled-up jock, y'know? She made me believe I could do anything I set my mind to if I worked hard enough. Do you know what that's like?"

She did. She nodded slowly, her gaze turned towards the world outside.

"Then you understand how I feel?"

This time Pearl's gaze turned to Amethyst stumbling to the kitchen to join Garnet. "Yes." She sighed. "It's half of why I suggested we talk to Rose."

Jasper grunted. "And the other half?"

"I need some answers. You aren't the only one who deserves an explanation."

"If we do this, it should be when we both have the energy to hold a long talk without needing to rest during the middle." She shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe we'll move on from this. Wait." She stared down at her sister, brow furrowing over eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. "What will you do if that happens?"

Pearl grimaced. "I'd say good-bye and go. Garnet deserves more than I can give her. I know that. If that were to happen, it'd give her the chance to move on."

"That something you want?"

"No. Yes." she admitted. "I want her to be happy."


End file.
